Nigeria arrests Boko Haram commander

Nigerian security forces on Monday arrested a man suspected to be a commander of Boko Haram in the city of Maiduguri, capital of the northeastern state of Borno.

Identified as John Trankil, the suspect was nabbed in Kasuwar Shanu area of Maiduguri city, Col. Tukur Ismail Gusau, a spokesperson of the Nigerian army told Xinhua.

Preliminary investigation has revealed the suspect and nine others sneaked into Maiduguri, with an aim to carry out deadly attacks, using assault rifles and a vehicle laden with 20 improvised explosive devices, the security officer said.

In the last one week, several terror suspects have been nabbed in Nigeria, including those on the list of 100 most-wanted Boko Haram suspects.

Among those on the list is the notorious leader of Boko Haram, Abubakar Shekau. Most of the wanted are young men, with only three above age 29.

The terror group Boko Haram has since 2009 waged a campaign of violence in Nigeria in an effort to establish an Islamic state.

It has killed some 13,000 people and kidnapped hundreds, with surrounding countries such as Niger, Chad and Cameroon affected.

Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari has given a December deadline for the army to end the Boko Haram insurgency. Endit