Chadian authorities have arrested the 18-year-old son of late Boko Haram founder, Mohammed Yusuf, following intelligence provided by Nigeria through the Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF).
The suspect, initially identifying himself as Mustapha Bana Abubakar, was captured during a counter-terrorism operation in Chad alongside five others: Hassan Abdurrahman, a suspected logistics aide; Abubakar Mohammed, alleged cell recruiter; Abubakar Ali Madou, believed to oversee weapons and mobility; and Abdurrahman Mohammed Abdallah, a minor suspected of taking part in attacks.
Security sources later confirmed the young suspect to be Muslim Mohammed Yusuf, younger brother of ISWAP leader Habib Yusuf, also known as Abu Mus’ab Al-Barnawi.
He was reportedly leading a six-man jihadist cell linked to the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) that was attempting to establish a new base around the Lake Chad region.
Exclusive photos obtained showed a slender young man in a blue tracksuit, bearing a striking resemblance to his late father.
Chad’s police had earlier announced the arrest of six ISWAP suspects but withheld their identities.
It was only after Nigerian intelligence alerted them through the MNJTF that the symbolic weight of the arrest became clear.
“This was no ordinary arrest,” a senior intelligence officer said.
“He was groomed from childhood into militancy and had begun carving out his own cell to prove his worth within ISWAP.”
Mohammed Yusuf, Boko Haram’s founder, was captured by the Nigerian military and executed in police custody in Maiduguri on July 30, 2009.
His death triggered the insurgency that has since ravaged the Lake Chad Basin. His elder son, Habib, later rose to lead ISWAP.
Analysts describe the latest arrest as a tactical and psychological setback for ISWAP.
While the cell was relatively small, the Yusuf family name carried propaganda value for recruitment.
His capture eliminates a potential figurehead and highlights how extremist ideology continues to recycle within families, underscoring the urgency of deradicalisation efforts.
The suspects remain in Chadian custody and are expected to face prosecution under regional counter-terrorism laws.
