Nigeria's Military Denies Secret Ceasefire With Boko Haram, ISWAP
The Facts
- Nigeria's military ruled out any ceasefire with Boko Haram and the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) on Thursday, with Defence Headquarters spokesperson Maj. Gen. Samaila Uba saying there is "nothing like a ceasefire" and that operations would continue.
- Uba said troops conducted 588 security operations across the country in September and October, neutralizing 435 militants and bandits, arresting 809 suspects, rescuing 717 kidnapped victims and recovering a total of 5,666 weapons, munitions and explosive devices.
- The denial followed a September report by The New Humanitarian that said the government reached a truce in June with a Boko Haram faction led by Ibrahim Bakura Doro, linked to the release of 360 civilians abducted from Ngoshe, in Borno state.
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The Spin
Pro-government narrative
Claims of a secret ceasefire with Boko Haram and ISWAP are baseless attempts to undermine Nigeria's military efforts. No deal should ever be cut with groups that abduct civilians and attack army bases, as rewarding violence only invites more of it. Hundreds of militants killed, commanders eliminated and 717 captives rescued show what sustained military pressure can achieve. A truce would only give terrorists time to regroup, rearm and strike again.
Government-critical narrative
Seventeen years of bombs and battalions have failed to end the bloodshed in Nigeria's northeast, yet the government still treats negotiation as weakness. Hundreds of kidnapped civilians have been freed through back-channel talks, showing what dialogue can achieve. Denying reports of secret negotiations is political posturing at the expense of families still waiting for loved ones. Saving lives should matter more than maintaining a hardline image.
