As many as 50 suspected members of Boko Haram militant group were arrested Wednesday in Nigerian state of Borno, epicentre of violence in Africa's most populous country, a top military officer said.
The terror suspects were nabbed when a truck carrying them was intercepted by troops in Biu area of the northern state, Xinhua quoted the source as saying while requesting anonymity.
The suspects were taken to a detention center in Biu, the source said, adding that they were in transit to Gombe, a neighbouring northeastern state, when a youth vigilante group alerted the security operatives.
The suspects, aged between 18 and 25, said they were all on the run following the killing of one of their leaders in a crossfire with security operatives last week, the source added.
Analysts say this development further confirms the recent progress in Nigeria's counter-terrorism approach in ending the five-year insurgency of Boko Haram, a group which has proved to be a major security threat in the West African country.
Boko Haram seeks to enshrine the Islamic law in the Nigerian constitution.