ABUJA — Nigerian defense authorities reportedly engaged in a temporary, covert three-month operational truce with factional leaders of Boko Haram and ISWAP in the Lake Chad Basin, according to investigative reports and security assessments.
The reported pause in active offensive operations created an opportunity for humanitarian negotiators and community elders to work toward the release of civilians abducted in northeastern Nigeria.
More than 360 people, mostly women and children, were reportedly freed after being held captive across rural settlements in Borno State.
The temporary arrangement reportedly involved designated corridors where active military strikes were paused to facilitate the safe movement of hostages.
However, the suspension of offensive operations did not mean that Nigeria's broader security activities stopped.
Military sources indicated that structural reorganizations and intelligence-gathering operations continued during the period.
Defense headquarters is also reportedly finalizing a broader northern security realignment while expanding recruitment efforts aimed at strengthening rural communities.
The reported truce highlights the complex balance between military operations, intelligence gathering, humanitarian negotiations and efforts to secure the release of abducted civilians.
The development also demonstrates the difficult security environment facing communities in the Lake Chad Basin, where armed groups have continued to pose a major challenge.
While the reported three-month arrangement provided an opportunity for the release of hundreds of civilians, Nigeria continues to work on a broader security strategy for the region.
