Fifty fleeing members of the Boko Haram sect have been arrested by the military in Biu, a town located in the southern part of Borno State.
Security sources revealed that the insurgents hid in a truck used to convey livestock and were headed for Gombe State when they were apprehended.
On the apprehension of Boko Haram members, security sources told journalists that the arrested men are currently in the custody of the Nigerian Army and might have been detained at the Biu barracks.
The sources said some youth vigilantes in Biu became suspicious when they apprehended a truck carrying sheep and goats.
Owing to their suspicion, a thorough search of the vehicle was carried out, leading to the discovery of the 50 young men who were hidden deep inside the truck.
The sources revealed that the arrested men confessed to being fighters of the Islamic sect and were all on the run following the reported killing of their leader, Abubakar Shekau, during the confrontation of the sect with the military at Konduga last week.
They said the suspects who pleaded for mercy, also promised to cooperate with security operatives by giving them useful information on the whereabouts of other sect members on the run as well as those holding the Chibok girls.
It was also disclosed that most of the suspects were between the ages of 18 and 25 and were fluent in Kanuri and Hausa languages.
The sources said the arrested men confessed to have been among the insurgents who fought at Bama and Konduga where they were overwhelmed by the militia