Nigeria announces arrest group leader linked to al Qaeda

Khalid al-Barnawi, head of the extremist group Ansaru, was arrested by soldiers in the center of the country, said Army. He was one of the most wanted terrorists by the United States.



The leader of the Nigerian terrorist group Ansaru, Boko Haram dissident and linked to al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb, was arrested on Friday, said on Sunday (03/04) the Army of Nigeria.

"Security officers effected on Friday a breakthrough in the fight against terrorism and has arrested Khalid al-Barnawi, the head of the terrorist group Ansaru in Lokoja," said an army spokesman. Lokoja is the capital of Kogi State, in the center of the country.

Barnawi is one of three Nigerians listed by the US as global terrorists in 2012, and one of the most wanted terrorists by the Americans.
The other two names on the list, one - the founder of Ansaru, Abubakar Adam Kambar - has died. Barnawi assumed leadership of the group in March 2012, shortly after the death of Kambar in a military operation. The third Nigerian in the list is the leader of Boko Haram, Abubakar Shekau.

Barnawi is 47 years old and his real name is Usman Umar Abubakar.