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Boko Haram denies ceasefire claim by Nigeria's government | Boko Haram denies ceasefire claim by Nigeria's government |
(about 1 hour later) | |
Boko Haram has denied claims by Nigeria's government that it has agreed to a ceasefire and will release more than 200 abducted schoolgirls. | Boko Haram has denied claims by Nigeria's government that it has agreed to a ceasefire and will release more than 200 abducted schoolgirls. |
The group's leader, Abubakar Shekau, said the girls had converted to Islam and been married off since being taken. | The group's leader, Abubakar Shekau, said the girls had converted to Islam and been married off since being taken. |
Nigeria's army announced a ceasefire with the militants on 17 October, saying the girls would soon be freed. | Nigeria's army announced a ceasefire with the militants on 17 October, saying the girls would soon be freed. |
But violence has continued since news of the alleged truce, including a fatal bomb blast on Friday. | |
Boko Haram has been fighting an insurgency since 2009, with some 2,000 civilians reportedly killed this year. | Boko Haram has been fighting an insurgency since 2009, with some 2,000 civilians reportedly killed this year. |
'We will not negotiate' | |
In a video released on Friday, Abubakar Shekau said: "We have not made ceasefire with anyone. We did not negotiate with anyone. It's a lie. | |
"We will not negotiate. What is our business with negotiation? Allah said we should not." | |
Shekau also claimed that the militants were holding a German national, thought to be a teacher, who was kidnapped by gunmen in July. | |
There was no indication of when or where the group's latest video was shot. | |
The BBC's Tomi Oladipo in Lagos says the video will come as a huge embarrassment for the Nigerian government after it said it had secured a ceasefire with Boko Haram. | |
The Islamist militants sparked global outrage in April by abducting 219 schoolgirls from the remote north-eastern town of Chibok, in Borno state. | |
Their continued captivity has led to criticism of the Nigerian government's efforts to secure their release. | Their continued captivity has led to criticism of the Nigerian government's efforts to secure their release. |
Hopes were raised earlier this month when Nigeria's chief of defence staff, Alex Badeh, announced a truce with the group. | Hopes were raised earlier this month when Nigeria's chief of defence staff, Alex Badeh, announced a truce with the group. |
"They've assured us they have the girls and they will release them," he said. "I am cautiously optimistic." | "They've assured us they have the girls and they will release them," he said. "I am cautiously optimistic." |
But the Boko Haram leader said the girls were "in their marital homes" after being married off by the group. | |
Last week, Human Rights Watch said in a report that Boko Haram was holding more than 500 women and young girls captive and that forced marriage was common in the group's camps. |