By Allen Manasseh
In October 2014, Nigeria’s then-Chief of Defence Staff, the late Air Chief Marshal Alex Badeh, alongside senior officials of President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration, announced a formal “ceasefire agreement” with Boko Haram. The public was assured that the deal—purportedly brokered by the Chadian presidency—would secure the imminent release of 219 abducted Chibok schoolgirls.
Yet even as this truce was broadcast to the global press, Boko Haram launched fresh offensives across northeastern Nigeria and explicitly denied any agreement existed. The human cost of this misinformation proved immediate and catastrophic. Relying on the government’s declaration, internally displaced persons from Damboa Local Government Area who had sought refuge in Chibok prematurely returned home. The following day, a violent insurgent attack claimed 120 civilian lives, with surrounding communities rapidly falling to the militants.
Warnings Dismissed
Recognising the inconsistencies, the #BringBackOurGirls movement launched immediate protests at the Presidency and Defence Headquarters. The group explicitly warned military leadership that the ceasefire was fraudulent, as independent fact-checking yielded no corroborating evidence.
To verify the administration’s claims, a delegation engaged the Chadian Ambassador to Nigeria at the Abuja embassy. His Excellency Isa Brahimi denied any knowledge of ongoing peace talks in Chad, revealing further that the Chadian president had been out of the country and was in no position to mediate.
Despite issuing press statements, publishing media advisories, and formally writing to the Presidency, the Chief of Army Staff, and the Department of State Services, the movement’s warnings were dismissed with open hostility. Officials branded the advocates “enemies of progress” and “terrorist sympathisers.”
The War Economy Exposed
Subsequent disclosures revealed that the Nigerian government had fallen victim to a calculated scam, paying millions of Euros through senior villa officials to fraudulent intermediaries for a phantom truce—this despite credible alternative channels operating without financial compensation.
The weaponisation of information extended to independent actors. Journalist Ahmad Salkida, who obtained a crucial “proof of life” video, was labelled a terrorist and arrested after refusing to monetise the footage. Though released shortly thereafter due to a complete lack of incriminating evidence, his experience demonstrated a troubling pattern: patriotic intelligence gathering was penalised, whilst profitable deception was enabled.
History Repeats: The Ngoshe Scam
A similar paradigm is unfolding today. Emerging testimonies from rescued victims contradict official narratives surrounding the “Oriiri rescue.” More concerningly, reports regarding the release of over 400 individuals abducted from Ngoshe in Gwoza LGA, Borno State, point to a recurring systemic vulnerability.
Information from actors involved in the initial mediation—including Mr Samaila Kaigama, president of the Borno South Youths Alliance—indicates a significant discrepancy between the funds officially allocated by the Federal Government and the amount actually received by the insurgents, resulting in the terrorists now speaking out.
The 2014 Precedent: Boko Haram initially demanded the release of six detained commanders rather than financial compensation, yet millions of Euros were siphoned out under the guise of ransom.
The Current Crisis: Reports indicate insurgents received less than half of the federally disbursed funds for the Ngoshe abductees. Consequently, the armed group continues to hold children and students from Mussa and Lassa, citing a total breakdown of trust with the Federal Government’s intermediary agents.
A Call for Transparency
The financial opacity of these state-backed negotiations continues to foster a lucrative war economy. To prevent further loss of innocent lives and safeguard national resources, an immediate, transparent investigation is required to identify the intermediaries leveraging the secrecy of counter-terrorism operations for illicit enrichment.
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Dr Allen Manasseh is a victim of terrorism and an active citizen venting for justice.
