By Mahmoud
ABUJA, NIGERIA — Two days after bombshell reports emerged detailing a highly controversial, unpublicised truce between the Nigerian government and a notorious faction of Boko Haram, the federal government has maintained a stone-faced silence. Despite intense public scrutiny and widespread coverage by both national and international media, including Al Jazeera and Premium Times, the Presidency, the military high command, and the Ministry of Information have yet to issue a single statement to counter, clarify, or acknowledge the allegations.
This total administrative silence follows an exclusive investigative report published on 7 September 2026 by the international journalism outlet, The New Humanitarian. The report alleged that a covert three-month ceasefire agreement was struck in June 2026 between Nigerian authorities and the Boko Haram faction formally known as Jama’at Ahl al-Sunna li-D’awa wal-Jihad (JAS), led by commander Ibrahim Bakura Doro.
According to details unearthed by The New Humanitarian, the secret truce was primarily brokered to secure the freedom of 360 civilian hostages, mostly women and children. These victims had been mass-abducted in March 2026 during a devastating raid on Ngoshe village in the Gwoza local government area of Borno State.
The investigation claimed that the breakthrough negotiations culminated in a massive 5 billion naira (approximately $3.7 million USD) ransom payment to the terrorist faction to facilitate the mass release. While sources within the security architecture acknowledged the freedom of the hostages at the time, the government heavily guarded the operational specifics and flatly rejected any narrative implying a multi-billion naira financial payout.
Crucially, the reported ceasefire is highly selective. It applies strictly to the JAS faction operating around the Mandara Mountains and does not extend to the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), a rival jihadist splinter group. Intelligence sources suggest the truce has brought a fragile, unprecedented wave of calm to the immediate communities surrounding Ngoshe over the last three months, with insurgent raids dropping to zero in the designated zones.
The decision by federal authorities to “keep mum” for two consecutive days has only amplified the controversy. Nigeria has historically maintained a rigid, ironclad public policy of non-negotiation with proscribed terrorist organisations. By failing to push back against the claims made by major international and domestic press houses, the administration faces mounting pressure from security analysts, civil society groups, and the public alike.
This silence leaves several critical, high-stakes questions unanswered. If the report is accurate, does this represent a permanent shift in Nigeria’s counter-insurgency doctrine, or is it a localised, desperate measure to rescue abducted citizens? Furthermore, the allegation of a 5 billion naira payout is highly volatile. Security experts warn that such a significant capital injection could allow the JAS faction to replenish its armaments, procure advanced logistics, and recruit new fighters.
Some analysts suggest that the government’s silence may mask a deeply cynical tactical strategy: allowing a ceasefire with Boko Haram so the group can focus its remaining strength on defeating ISWAP in their ongoing, bloody intra-jihadist turf war.
As the initial three-month timeline of the alleged June agreement reaches its expiration date this September, the lack of official clarity from Abuja leaves the public in the dark. For now, the administration appears content to weather the media storm in total silence, even as the world demands to know if Nigeria has truly signed a deal with the enemy.
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