Son of Boko Haram founder arrested in Chad, linked to Iswap cell
Chadian authorities have arrested a man identified as the youngest son of Boko Haram’s founder, along with five alleged accomplices, in the Lake Chad region, according to security and intelligence sources. The suspect, Muslim Mohammed Yusuf, is also the brother of Abu Musab al-Barnawi, leader of the Islamic State in West Africa Province (Iswap), a splinter group of Boko Haram.
Local police confirmed the detention of six individuals accused of belonging to a jihadist cell, though they did not officially verify the family link. Nigerian intelligence sources in the region, however, reported that the group was tied to Iswap and allegedly led by Muslim Yusuf, who is believed to use the alias Abdrahman Mahamat Abdoulaye.
Muslim, now about 18 years old, was an infant when his father Mohammed Yusuf was killed during a Nigerian military operation in 2009 that left hundreds dead. Photos obtained after the arrest reportedly show a slim young man in a blue tracksuit, resembling the late Boko Haram founder.
Boko Haram launched its insurgency in northeastern Nigeria in 2009 before expanding across the Lake Chad basin. In 2016, the movement split between the original faction and Iswap, which is recognized by the Islamic State group. Analysts warn that the arrest may fuel tensions between rival jihadist groups operating in the region.
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