ABUJA, Nigeria — The Nigerian government has reportedly maintained an unannounced ceasefire for about three months with a faction of Boko Haram led by Ibrahim Bakura Doro, an arrangement linked to negotiations that preceded the release of hundreds of civilians abducted in northeastern Nigeria. The federal government has not publicly confirmed that such a truce exists.
The New Humanitarian, whose investigation was subsequently reported by Premium Times, said three people with contacts among senior Boko Haram figures independently described a ceasefire that began in June and could be extended. Residents in parts of the Ngoshe area of Borno State told the publication that attacks attributed to the faction had declined since the reported agreement took effect.
The reported truce was linked to the fate of 360 civilians who had been held after insurgents attacked Ngoshe, near Nigeria’s mountainous border with Cameroon. Nigerian military authorities said in June that troops rescued the captives in an intelligence-led operation. Local residents and security sources, however, told Premium Times at the time that the insurgents had released them.
The New Humanitarian also reported allegations that a 5 billion naira payment, about $3.7 million, was connected to the release of the hostages. The Nigerian government has denied paying the reported ransom, and the allegation has not been independently established. Defence Headquarters has declined to publicly address the latest ceasefire report.
The reported arrangement would appear to contrast with the military’s publicly stated position. Days before the ceasefire story emerged, Defence Information Director Maj. Gen. Samaila Uba said the armed forces do not negotiate with terrorist organizations and do not support ransom payments. He said the military could participate in broader nonmilitary security initiatives led by other government stakeholders, while maintaining its counterterrorism responsibilities.
The ceasefire reportedly applies to the Jama’atu Ahlis-Sunna Lidda’awati wal-Jihad faction, commonly called Boko Haram, under Bakura Doro. It does not cover the rival Islamic State West Africa Province, or ISWAP, which continues to operate across northeastern Nigeria and the wider Lake Chad region.
Bakura emerged as a significant Boko Haram leader after the death of longtime commander Abubakar Shekau in 2021 during fighting with ISWAP. The movement that once operated largely under Shekau subsequently fractured, while rival factions competed for fighters, territory and influence around Borno State and Lake Chad.
Nigeria has previously explored dialogue alongside military operations during the insurgency, which began in 2009. Earlier efforts to negotiate ceasefires and encourage fighters to surrender repeatedly encountered mistrust and factional divisions. A government security official familiar with previous contacts told The New Humanitarian that earlier truces ultimately collapsed.
Conflict researcher Malik Samuel cautioned that the reported agreement should not yet be viewed as the beginning of a permanent peace settlement. He said it could amount to a temporary tactical arrangement that benefits both sides without fundamentally changing the direction of the conflict.
The distinction matters because violence has not stopped across Borno State. ISWAP and other armed groups have continued attacks on military positions and civilians, while kidnappings and assaults on schools have remained a major security concern. Nigeria’s military said it carried out more than 7,000 security operations nationwide in July and August and rescued hundreds of kidnapping victims.
Boko Haram’s insurgency has become one of Africa’s longest-running security crises. The violence has killed tens of thousands directly, displaced millions and spilled across borders into Cameroon, Chad and Niger. Nigeria and its neighbors have responded through national forces and the Multinational Joint Task Force, while international partners have provided intelligence, training and other counterterrorism assistance.
A lasting agreement with even one Boko Haram faction could reduce violence in some communities and create opportunities for humanitarian access and civilian returns. But it could also prove fragile if rival commanders reject it, if the parties disagree over its terms or if militants use a pause in fighting to regroup — concerns raised by security specialists familiar with previous negotiations.
For now, the central question remains unanswered: whether the reported truce represents a limited hostage-release arrangement or a broader shift in Nigeria’s strategy toward ending an insurgency that has lasted for more than 17 years. With Defence Headquarters declining to confirm the agreement, its terms, duration and long-term objectives remain unclear
