Boko Haram Founder’s Son Arrested In Chad
THECONSCIENCE NG reports that Muslim Mohammed Yusuf, the youngest son of Boko Haram founder Mohammed Yusuf, has been arrested in Chad, where he is alleged to have led a jihadist cell, according to intelligence sources and a former insurgent who spoke with AFP.
Yusuf, 18, was detained alongside five other suspected militants in an operation that reportedly targeted a cell affiliated with the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP)—a faction that split from Boko Haram over ideological differences.
Boko Haram has waged a brutal insurgency across the Lake Chad region for over 15 years, regularly attacking villages and military installations.
While Chadian police confirmed the arrest of six suspected Boko Haram members, they did not disclose the identities of the detainees.
However, a Nigerian intelligence official operating in the region told AFP that the cell was led by Muslim Yusuf, who was an infant when his father was killed in a 2009 military operation that resulted in roughly 800 deaths.
Photographs obtained by AFP show a young man in a blue tracksuit, described as short and slender, bearing a strong resemblance to Mohammed Yusuf. The individual is believed to be Muslim Yusuf, who reportedly uses the alias Abdrahman Mahamat Abdoulaye.
He is also said to be the younger brother of Habib Yusuf, also known as Abu Mus’ab Al-Barnawi, the current leader of ISWAP.
A former Boko Haram commander who has since renounced the group confirmed the arrest of Muslim Yusuf and his associates.
Chadian police spokesman Paul Manga described the suspects as “bandits who operate in the city… undocumented, and members of Boko Haram.” He added that the arrests took place “a few months ago.”
As of press time, Nigeria’s counter-terrorism and intelligence agencies had not responded to AFP’s request for comment.
