The Nigerian government has been involved in a secret ceasefire with Boko Haram for the past three months, according to an investigation by The New Humanitarian, in a development that could mark a rare pause in years of fighting in northeastern Nigeria. The reported truce began in June after negotiations that secured the release of 360 civilians abducted from Ngoshe village, in the foothills of the Mandara Mountains near Nigeria’s border with Cameroon, The New Humanitarian reported. Three people with contacts among Boko Haram members, including some senior figures, independently told the organisation that the ceasefire had been in effect since June and was likely to be extended for another 40 days.
Two of the sources said attacks had stopped in communities around Ngoshe, which have repeatedly been targeted by the armed group. The 360 villagers were abducted in March during a Boko Haram attack on a nearby army base, according to The New Humanitarian. The negotiations that led to their release reportedly included a payment of five billion naira ($3.7m) by the Nigerian government.
The alleged payment has become controversial in Nigeria, with the government denying that it paid a ransom. The New Humanitarian said it contacted government, defence and army spokespeople to verify the reported ceasefire but received no response before publication. Al Jazeera has not been able to independently verify the reported ceasefire or the alleged payment.
The reported agreement does not include Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), a rival armed group that operates in northeastern Nigeria and the wider Lake Chad region. Fighting between Boko Haram and ISWAP has continued, according to The New Humanitarian. The reported ceasefire comes despite the Nigerian government’s public rejection of negotiations with Boko Haram, which is designated as a “terrorist organisation” by the Nigerian authorities.
President Bola Tinubu has instead focused on expanding the military’s capacity to fight armed groups. In July, he announced plans to recruit 30,000 additional personnel and create four new army divisions. Behind the scenes, however, there have been repeated attempts to establish dialogue with Boko Haram, according to The New Humanitarian, citing security officials, diplomats and mediators familiar with previous efforts.
Those efforts have included ceasefire arrangements that eventually collapsed. Conflict researcher Malik Samuel told The New Humanitarian that the latest reported agreement should not necessarily be interpreted as the beginning of a lasting peace process. The current arrangement could also allow Boko Haram to strengthen its position, with two sources warning that the group could use the pause to move equipment into the Mandara Mountains, The New Humanitarian reported.
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