Borno South Senator, Ali Ndume, has urged the Nigerian government to thoroughly investigate allegations that the United States Agency for International Development has been funding Boko Haram and other terrorist organizations.
The senator’s call came in response to statements made by U.S. Congressman Scot Perry during a hearing on Thursday.
Perry, a Republican from Pennsylvania, accused USAID of channeling $697 million in aid to groups such as Boko Haram, ISIS, and Al-Qaeda. He also raised questions about the legitimacy of $136 million reportedly used to build 120 schools in Pakistan, suggesting there was no record of the project’s completion.
Ndume expressed concern over the seriousness of these allegations, emphasizing the need for the Nigerian government and the National Assembly to investigate the claims. He highlighted the significant threat posed by Boko Haram, which has caused widespread destruction in Nigeria, particularly in the North-East. He noted that Boko Haram had been responsible for attacks on key government buildings, including the police headquarters and the UN office in Abuja, resulting in numerous casualties.
The senator pointed out that Nigerian security agencies, as well as the Borno State government, had previously raised concerns about the operations of NGOs in the region, questioning where their funding was coming from. He stressed the importance of investigating these allegations to ensure that terrorist groups are not benefiting from international aid.
According to Ndume: “You can’t say it’s just an allegation; it’s more than that.
“That’s why the Nigerian government and the National Assembly, especially, need to look into it to investigate and verify the veracity of such a very weighty allegation.
“This development is very worrisome, especially because one of the terrorist organisations mentioned by Scott Perry is Boko Haram, and Boko Haram has ravaged not only the North-East but even other parts of Nigeria.
“You can remember Boko Haram bombed the police headquarters and the UN office in Abuja, and the casualties were enormous. So, the Nigerian government must be interested.
“I’m worried, but the Nigerian security agencies have raised this indirectly several times. Even the Borno State government was wary of the operations of the NGOs.
“We have been wondering for all these years where these people are getting money.”
