Boko Haram has denied reports that it reached a ceasefire agreement with the Nigerian government or received ransom payments linked to the release of hostages.
HumAngle identified a man named Mallam Abdulrahman as a judge within Jama’atu Ahlis Sunna Lidda’awati Wal Jihad (JAS), the Boko Haram faction. In a video released on Sunday, September 13, Abdulrahman dismissed reports of an agreement as “false,” repeating the denial three times.
The denial followed a report by The New Humanitarian that the Nigerian government and Boko Haram had secretly reached a ceasefire agreement in June. The report said the deal helped secure the release of 360 civilians abducted in Ngoshe, Gwoza Local Government Area of Borno State, and allegedly involved a payment of ₦5 billion.
Abdulrahman said the group only became aware of the alleged agreement through media reports a day or two before releasing the video. He accused the government of using the claim to mislead the public during the political season, but said the group was not opposed to peace agreements in principle.
He insisted, however, that no negotiations had taken place between Boko Haram and the government. Sources familiar with the matter told HumAngle that a smaller Boko Haram unit may have agreed to government demands during negotiations for the hostages’ release without approval from the group’s senior leadership.