Boko Haram reportedly reach secret three-month ceasefire

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.

Truce followed mass abduction

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.

Government publicly rejects talks

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.

“It could be just a temporary, tactical ceasefire that benefits both sides, but doesn’t really affect the trajectory of the war,” Samuel said.

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.

Boko Haram has carried out attacks and kidnappings in northeastern Nigeria and neighbouring countries around the Lake Chad region since 2009. The group has since fractured into several factions, while ISWAP operates as a separate and rival armed group.

Al Jazeera

Soldier injured as military repels ISWAP attack on military base

The Nigerian military says one soldier sustained an injury during a failed Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) attack on a military base in Pulka, Gwoza Local Government Area of Borno State.

The soldier whose identity was not disclosed sustained gunshot injury to his left arm, and was being treated, according to a statement by Mohammed Goni, the spokesperson for Operation Hadin Kai, a joint task force in the North-east.

Mr Goni, a Nigerian Army captain, stated that the terrorists attempted to overrun the military base on Monday, but were resisted by the ground troops, including members of Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF).

The ground troops, he said, were assisted by the air component of operation Hadin Kai, which provided Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) during the attack.

This coordinated response forced the terrorists to retreat “with casualties.”

“As the terrorists attempted to escape following the fierce resistance from ground troops, the air component conducted precision strikes on identified hostile elements, disrupting their withdrawal and further frustrating their efforts to regroup,” Mr Goni said.

The military spokesperson added that “military positions across Pulka remained securely under the control of the security forces.”

He paid tribute to the members of the CJTF who “played an important supporting role during the operation by providing useful local information and assisting the troops in maintaining situational awareness.”

Mr Goni said troops further carried out an “operation” to determine extent of battle damage, recover abandoned weapons, and obtain intelligence that could help track down fleeing terrorists.

The military spokesperson said the coordinated response “demonstrated the effectiveness of joint efforts in confronting terrorist threats across the theatre.”

“Troops remain firmly deployed and on heightened alert across the area, with aggressive patrols, surveillance and other offensive and defensive operations continuing to deny terrorist elements freedom of movement and action,” he said. “The military will sustain pressure on the terrorists while taking necessary measures to safeguard the lives and property of law-abiding citizens.”

He advised the public to remain vigilant and provide credible information to troops.

ISWAP, a second breakaway faction of Boko Haram has intensified attacks on military bases in recent years. But a joint operation involving Nigerian and US troops has decimated the group’s ability to carry out frequent attacks as it used to.

Even as it is weakened, the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) warned that the group could carry out attacks to avenge the killings of its top commander, Abubakar Mainok and other fighters.

Mr Mainok was killed alongside some fighters by US and Nigerian troops following what the presidency described as months-long tracking in Abuja and Lake Chad region.

By Yakubu Mohammed, Premium Times

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