News24
Lagos - Nigeria's announcement of a ceasefire with Boko Haram has surprised many and convinced few, particularly when talks with the militants on the possible release of 219 kidnapped schoolgirls had been at a frustrating standstill.
The insurgents have had the upper hand in fighting in the far northeast in recent months, reportedly seizing at least two dozen towns and villages as part of their quest to establish a hardline Islamic state.
And in the aftermath of Friday's declaration by Nigeria's military and presidency, reports of attacks continue to emerge, casting further doubts about the credibility of the ceasefire claim.
The announcement has been greeted with scepticism by security analysts, those with knowledge of previous negotiation attempts with Boko Haram and ordinary Nigerians suspicious about their government's motives.
"The kinds of claims have been made [by the government] a number of times before," said Shehu Sani, a lawyer and civil rights activist who has been involved in previous back channel talks.
Identity issues
The main question mark was the identity of the purported Boko Haram envoy, Danladi Ahmadu, who claimed to be the group's chief of security and to have been involved in talks to broker the deal.
"Danla
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