MURIC applauds DSS, NSA after capture of top terror leaders

The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC), an Islamic human rights organisation, has praised Nigeria’s security leadership for the recent capture of two notorious terrorist leaders from the Al-Ansaru and Mahmuda groups.

The suspects, Mahmud Muhammad Usman—self-styled “Amir of Ansari”—and his associate Mahmud al-Nigeri, were apprehended in a joint sting operation by operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) between May and July 2025.

This development, revealed on Friday, was publicly acknowledged in a press statement issued by MURIC’s Executive Director, Professor Ishaq Akintola.

Professor Akintola described the arrests as a “major blow to terrorism in Nigeria,” adding that both suspects had been on the wanted lists of Nigeria, the United States, the United Kingdom, and the United Nations for several years.

MURIC commended the National Security Adviser (NSA), Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, for replicating his record of excellence as former chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), now in his current role. The group credited Ribadu’s “methodical and microscopic re-engineering” of Nigeria’s security architecture for recent gains against terrorism, banditry, and organized crime.

The head of the DSS, Mr. Adeola Oluwatosin Ajayi, also received accolades for what MURIC called his “silent but effective” leadership since taking office in August 2024.

Akintola paid special tribute to DSS field operatives, describing them as “the real heroes” of Nigeria’s fight against terrorism.

“They are the lurking shadows at the street corners, those who sleep in vehicles for days, and those who see but must not be seen. We appreciate their sacrifices for our great country,” he said.

MURIC urged the Federal Government to improve funding for the nation’s security agencies, stressing that national security is the bedrock of all other sectors.

Reaffirming its position against terrorism, MURIC reiterated its motto, “Dialogue, Not Violence”, and condemned those who justify or promote extremist violence.

“Terrorists do not represent Muslims. Rather, they are a clog in the wheel of Islam’s progress. They smear the good name of Islam and deface its entire moral and spiritual architecture,” the statement concluded.