The Nigerian government has reportedly reached a secret ceasefire deal with Bakura Doro’s Boko Haram faction, bringing an unusual lull to parts of Borno State since June.
The reported truce is now drawing attention because it allegedly followed negotiations over more than 300 civilians abducted from Ngoshe, Borno State.
The claims were contained in an investigation by The New Humanitarian and were also reported by PREMIUM TIMES.
Boko Haram faction reportedly agreed to truce
Jama’atu Ahlis-Sunna Lidda’awati wal-Jihad, commonly known as Boko Haram, is currently split into about three factions.
The groups operate across parts of Nigeria’s North-east and North-central regions. They are reportedly loyal to Bakura Doro, who succeeded Abubakar Shekau after his death during a 2021 clash with rival ISWAP fighters.
Two factions are reportedly based in the North-east. Ali Ngulde and Alhai Kale are said to lead them.
Another faction operates in the North-central and is led by Mallam Sadiku.
Doro, meanwhile, is reportedly based on an island in Lake Chad. The report said the weak security presence there has helped him strengthen his position.
Ngoshe hostages at center of reported deal
Additionally, three people with contacts among Boko Haram members told The New Humanitarian the Nigerian government Boko Haram ceasefire began.
They said the agreement could also be extended.
The reported truce was linked to efforts to secure the release of more than 300 civilians abducted from Ngoshe in Gwoza Local Government Area of Borno State.
The victims reportedly spent about 95 days in captivity before their release.
The government described their rescue as an intelligence-led operation involving Operation Hadin Kai and the State Security Service.
But The New Humanitarian reported a different account of how the hostages were freed.
According to the publication, negotiations involving government representatives, intermediaries and insurgents played a role in securing their release.
N5bn ransom claim adds another layer
The report also alleged that the agreement involved a N5 billion ransom payment.
The Nigerian government has denied paying such a ransom.
The claim, however, did not end there.
Borno youth leader Samaila Kaigama had earlier alleged that N5 billion was paid to secure the hostages’ freedom.
He made the claim during a Channels TV interview in July. Kaigama also linked Senator Ali Ndume to the alleged ransom negotiations.
Ndume rejected the allegation.
Kaigama was later arrested by the State Security Service and arraigned in court.
The SSS said it had found evidence linking him to the alleged extortion of families of kidnapping victims. The allegation was first raised by Ndume while explaining his position during the Channels TV discussion.
A separate SBM Intelligence report also claimed that N5 billion was paid for the release of the Ngoshe captives.
The government, however, has maintained its position against paying ransom to terrorist groups.
Violence reportedly dropped after June
The reported ceasefire appears to have had a noticeable effect in areas affected by the Bakura Doro faction.
The New Humanitarian said attacks linked to the faction dropped sharply from June.
Residents and humanitarian workers also reportedly observed an unusual reduction in violence across parts of Borno State.
But the calm does not cover every Boko Haram-linked group.
ISWAP remains active in the Lake Chad region. The group continues to attack military positions and civilian communities.
That distinction is important because Boko Haram’s fractured structure makes any broad ceasefire difficult to assess.
Government has not confirmed the ceasefire
Despite the reports, the Federal Government has not publicly acknowledged the existence of the agreement.
When contacted by PREMIUM TIMES, presidential spokesperson Bayo Onanuga directed questions to the Ministry of Defense or the Office of the National Security Adviser.
Defense Headquarters spokesperson Samaila Uba reportedly did not respond to calls or messages.
A similar message sent to an NSA spokesperson also received no response.
Officials familiar with the reported negotiations told The New Humanitarian that humanitarian concerns were one reason for the talks.
They also said the government wanted to explore dialogue as a possible way to reduce violence after more than 16 years of insurgency.
Experts question whether the truce can last
Security analysts have warned that a temporary ceasefire may bring immediate benefits without ending the wider conflict.
Such arrangements can save lives and help secure hostage releases. But they can also give armed groups time to reorganize if they are not followed by wider peace-building measures.
Malik Samuel, a conflict researcher at Good Governance Africa, described the reported arrangement as potentially tactical.
“It could be just a temporary, tactical ceasefire that benefits both sides,” he said, while questioning whether it could change the broader course of the war.
Samuel also expressed doubts that the truce could produce a sustainable peace settlement.
The fragmented nature of the insurgency makes the situation even more complicated.
Nigeria’s wider non-kinetic approach
The reported Boko Haram ceasefire also comes as the Nigerian government increasingly uses what it describes as non-kinetic measures in its security strategy.
The approach includes dialogue and negotiations with armed groups in some parts of the country.
In Katsina State, more than 18 local government areas have reportedly entered truces with terrorists commonly described as bandits.
Similar arrangements have also been adopted in parts of Kaduna and Zamfara states.
Those local agreements have sometimes temporarily stopped attacks in exchange for demands made by the armed groups.
But the military has maintained that it does not directly negotiate such deals.
At a security briefing last week, Samaila Uba said the military’s primary responsibility remains combat operations.
“We do not also support the payment of any ransom,” Uba said.
He added that the military participates in broader efforts to address security problems where necessary, without compromising its core responsibilities.
For now, the Nigerian government has not publicly confirmed the reported Boko Haram ceasefire with Bakura Doro.
The alleged agreement and its link to the Ngoshe hostage release remain contested.
This fuels questions about the Nigerian government Boko Haram ceasefire and a disputed N5 billion ransom claim.
