Secret Three-Month Ceasefire Reportedly Reached Between Nigeria and Boko Haram

The Nigerian military has stepped up operations against armed groups in the northeast, while the government has publicly rejected negotiations with Boko Haram. According to an investigation by The New Humanitarian, the Nigerian government has been involved in a secret ceasefire with Boko Haram for the past three months, marking a rare pause in years of fighting in northeastern Nigeria.

The reported truce began in June following negotiations that secured the release of 360 civilians abducted from Ngoshe village, located in the foothills of the Mandara Mountains near Nigeria’s border with Cameroon. Three sources with contacts among Boko Haram members independently confirmed to the organisation that the ceasefire has been active since June and may be extended for another 40 days. Two sources noted that attacks have ceased in communities around Ngoshe.

The 360 villagers were seized in March during a Boko Haram attack on a nearby army base. Negotiations for their release reportedly involved a payment of five billion naira ($3.7m) by the Nigerian government, a claim that has sparked controversy while the government denies paying any ransom. The New Humanitarian sought verification from government, defence, and army spokespeople prior to publication but received no response. Al Jazeera has not independently verified the truce or the payment.

Notably, the agreement excludes the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), a rival armed group operating in the region. Fighting between Boko Haram and ISWAP has continued unabated.

Despite public rejections of dialogue by the Nigerian government and President Bola Tinubu's focus on expanding military capacity—including plans in July to recruit 30,000 personnel and create four new army divisions—secret channels have frequently been pursued. Conflict researcher Malik Samuel cautioned that the latest arrangement may only be a temporary, tactical pause rather than a lasting peace process, with warnings that Boko Haram could use the downtime to regroup in the Mandara Mountains.