African securityLeader of Nigeria’s Islamist Ansaru group arrested in Nigeria

Khalid al-Barnawi, the leader of Nigeria’s Ansaru jihadist group, a Boko Haram splinter group ideologically aligned with al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb, has been arrested, a Nigerian army spokesman said on Sunday.

Al-Barnawi, 47, was born as Usman Umar Abubakar in Biu town in northeast Borno state. He is one of three Nigerians listed by Washington in 2012 as “specially designated global terrorists.” The Miami Herald reports that in 2012, the Department of State named Barnawi, along with Boko Haram leader Abubakar Shekau and Ansaru founder Abubakar Adam Kambar, as terrorists.

“Security agents made a breakthrough on Friday in the fight against terrorism by arresting Khalid al-Barnawi, the leader of Ansaru terrorist group in Lokoja,” military spokesman Brigadier General Rabe Abubakar said.

“He is among those on top of the list of our wanted terrorists,” he added.

Lokoja is the capital of nigeria’s central Kogi state.

“Shekau is the most visible leader of the Nigeria-based militant group Jama’atu Ahlis Sunna Lidda’awati Wal-Jihad, commonly referred to as Boko Haram,” the U.S. state department said 2012.

“Khalid al-Barnawi and Abubakar Adam Kambar have ties to Boko Haram and have close links to al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb,” it said in a statement.

Al-Barnawi assumed the leadership of Ansaru after the death of Kambar in a military raid on his hideout in Kano in March 2012.

“We are very happy about this development (arrest). It is a great breakthrough in our fight against insurgency in the country,” Nigerian Information Minister Lai Mohammed told AFP.

A serving army officer added that his arrest was “a huge success and will have a profound effect on counter-terrorism operations in Nigeria and beyond.”

“He is a known transnational terrorist and the backbone of all Al-Qaeda affiliate groups in west Africa,” the officer, who asked not to be named, told AFP.

The Herald notes that Ansaru, a splinter group of Boko Haram, has specialized in high-profile killings and attacks on global interests, and is also linked to Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb. Ansaru has made money by kidnappings foreigners for ransom.

Analysts note that the group comprises mostly Western-educated Boko Haram members who were trained in AQIM camps in the Algerian desert. One reason for their split with Boko Haram was their disapproval of Boko Haram’s indiscriminate bombing, shooting, and burning campaign. Ansaru has shown a preference for more targeted, high-profile killings and direct attacks on Western economic interests.

As Ansaru increased the number of its followers, it has become more independent from Boko Haram, although the two groups do maintain some ties.