United States $3.5 bounty Islamist terrorist arrested in Nigeria

Authorities in Nigeria says it has arrested the leader of al-Qaeda, linked Islamist group Ansaru.

A military spokesman said Khalid al-Barnawi was captured in Lokoja, capital of Kogi, Nigeria.

The United States of America placed a $3.5million bounty on Khalid al-Barnawi's head after branding him one of three Nigerian "specially designated global terrorists" in 2012.

Ansaru is a splinter group of Nigeria's largest jihadist group, Boko Haram, known for kidnapping foreigners.

Ansaru said it carried out an attack on a maximum security prison in the Nigerian capital Abuja in 2012, freeing dozens of inmates.

Military spokesman Brigadier General Rabe Abubakar said 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. "He is among top list of our wanted terrorists."