Chadian security forces have confirmed the arrest of six suspected Boko Haram members, one of whom is believed to be the son of the group’s late founder, Mohammed Yusuf.
According to multiple intelligence sources and a former insurgent, the suspect in question is Muslim Mohammed Yusuf, the youngest son of the radical preacher who founded Boko Haram in Nigeria before being killed in police custody in 2009. Reports suggest that the younger Yusuf was leading a jihadist cell in Chad before his capture.
Chadian police acknowledged the arrest of six men but stopped short of confirming Yusuf’s identity. “We arrested bandits who operate in the city… they are undocumented, they are members of Boko Haram,” police spokesman Paul Manga told AFP from N’djamena, adding that the arrests were carried out “a few months ago.”
A Nigerian intelligence officer stationed in the Lake Chad region confirmed receiving information about the capture. “The team was headed by Muslim, the youngest son of the late Boko Haram founder,” the officer said. A former lieutenant of Mohammed Yusuf, who has since renounced the sect, also confirmed the arrest, stating: “He and the team were arrested by Chadian security. They are six in number.”
The development marks a significant moment in the fight against Boko Haram, a group that has terrorized Nigeria and its neighbors for over a decade, leaving tens of thousands dead and millions displaced. If confirmed, the arrest of Yusuf’s son could carry both symbolic and strategic weight in dismantling remnants of the group’s influence in the region.
