Chadian security forces have arrested the youngest son of Boko Haram founder, Mohammed Yusuf, who is alleged to have been leading a jihadist cell in the country.
According to intelligence sources and former insurgents familiar with the development, the young man was apprehended along with five other suspects, forming what authorities described as a six-man terrorist unit operating in the Lake Chad region.
A Nigerian intelligence officer based in the area confirmed the arrest to AFP, saying:
“He and the team were arrested by Chadian security. They are six in number.”
The officer further disclosed that the young man was still an infant when his father, Mohammed Yusuf, was killed in a Nigerian military crackdown in 2009 that claimed the lives of about 800 people in Maiduguri. Based on available information, officials estimate his age today to be around 18.
The arrest marks a significant development in ongoing regional counterterrorism efforts, as Yusuf’s family lineage holds symbolic weight within Boko Haram and its splinter factions. Security analysts say the capture could deal a psychological blow to remnants of the group still active in the Lake Chad basin.
