THE United States Ambassador to Nigeria, Richard Mills, has dismissed allegations that the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) funds Boko Haram or other terrorist organisation.
Mills who met with members of the Nigeria Governors Forum in Abuja on Wednesday night, said there that no evidence to back up the allegation.
He stated that no country condemns Boko Haram’s violence more strongly than the United States, assuring that if any evidence is found, the US government will work with the Nigerian government to investigate it.
“There is absolutely no evidence of such diversion, and if we ever had evidence that any programme funding was being misused by Boko Haram, we would immediately investigate it with our Nigerian partners,” Mills said.
“We cooperate in investigations with the Nigerian government. I can assure you that we have strict policies and procedures to ensure that USAID funding or any other US assistance, whether from USAID, the Department of Defence, or the State Department, is not diverted to terrorist groups like Boko Haram.
“So, when it comes to Boko Haram, the United States stands with Nigeria in wanting to rid this country of the scourge that this organisation represents.
“Let me be clear—there is no friend of Nigeria stronger in condemning Boko Haram’s violence and disregard for human life than the United States. We have designated Boko Haram as a foreign terrorist organisation since 2013, blocking the group from transferring assets to the US and allowing us to arrest and seize its members.”
On February 13, a US Congressman, Scott Perry, accused USAID of funding terrorist groups, including Boko Haram.
Perry, a Republican from Pennsylvania, claimed during the inaugural hearing of the Subcommittee on Delivering on Government Efficiency.
The session, titled “The War on Waste: Stamping Out the Scourge of Improper Payments and Fraud,” examined allegations of misappropriation of taxpayer funds.
Perry said that USAID’s financial activities have directly benefited terror groups worldwide, including Boko Haram, Al-Qaeda, and ISIS.
He alleged that USAID’s annual budget of $697 million, including cash payments to Islamic schools (madrasas), may have inadvertently financed extremist training camps and terror groups.
“Who gets some of that money? Your money, $697 million annually, plus the shipments of cash funds in Madrasas, ISIS, Al-Qaeda, Boko Haram, ISIS Khorasan, and terrorist training camps. That’s what it’s funding,” Perry stated.
Worried by the allegation, the Senate, on Wednesday, summoned the National Security Adviser (NSA), Nuhu Ribadu; Director-General of the National Intelligence Agency, Mohammed Mohammed, and his State Security Services counterpart, Oluwatosin Ajayi, over claims that the USAID had funded global terror groups, including Boko Haram.
The Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, who announced this during the plenary said they will appear before the lawmakers in a closed-door session to verify the allegations.
The resolution to summon the security heads followed a motion sponsored by the Borno South Senator, Ali Ndume.
While presenting his motion, Ndume lamented the persistent threat posed by Boko Haram despite the federal government’s financial investments in counter-terrorism operations.
He stressed the urgent need to determine the validity of the allegations regarding USAID funding.
He prayed that the Senate invite the NSA and the DGs of NIA and SSS (also known as the Department of State Services) to be involved in the matter.
Borno Central Senator Kaka Shehu, who seconded the motion, noted that previous ad hoc committees of the National Assembly had investigated Boko Haram’s operations without effectively curbing their activities.
Bauchi Central Senator Abdul Ningi also emphasised the necessity of compelling security heads to clarify the matter.
The motion was supported by many of the senators when it was put to vote by the Senate president.