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Calls for an investigation have intensified following allegations by U.S. Congressman Scott Perry that the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) may have inadvertently funded terrorist organizations, including Boko Haram. Some Nigerians are urging authorities to probe the claims and demand accountability from both local and international agencies.
During the inaugural hearing of the Subcommittee on Delivering on Government Efficiency on Thursday, Pennsylvania Republican Scott Perry accused USAID of financing terrorist organizations, including Boko Haram. His comments have reignited debates on foreign aid oversight and national security risks.
The discussion, titled “The War on Waste: Stamping Out the Scourge of Improper Payments and Fraud,” examined claims of fraudulent allocations of taxpayer money. Donald Trump, in his time as president, had suspended USAID and several other aid programs, alleging widespread corruption.
He alleged that the US aid agency disbursed around $697 million each year to terrorist groups, including Boko Haram.
In a video that went viral, Perry said, “Who gets some of that money? Does that name ring a bell to anybody in the room? Because your money, your money, $697 million annually, plus the shipments of cash funds in Madrasas, ISIS, Al-Qaeda, Boko Haram, ISIS Khorasan, terrorist training camps. That’s what it’s funding.”
Perry’s allegations came amid growing concerns from Nigerian authorities regarding the financial support mechanisms sustaining Boko Haram.
Read also: USAID: He Should Be Fired – Trump Blasts Washington Post
In a recent interview with Al Jazeera, Nigeria’s Chief of Defence Staff, Christopher Musa, expressed concerns about how International Non-Governmental Organisations operate in conflict zones, particularly in the North-East, where Boko Haram and ISWAP insurgents are active.
He urged the United Nations to investigate the sources of funding for terror groups, adding that many insurgents found in military operations had been caught with foreign currencies.
While the Nigerian government has yet to issue an official statement regarding the congressman’s claims, several prominent figures, including a former minister and foreign envoys, have weighed in on the matter, calling for a thorough investigation to verify the allegations.
A former Nigerian Ambassador to Brazil and Argentina, Dele Cole, condemned the claim that USAID funds were being used to fund terrorism in Nigeria. Cole questioned whether the funds were given to Nigeria in the form of cash and called on the Federal Government to investigate the claim.
He said, “I think the Federal Government should investigate the claims. If they (US) know this is funding terrorism, why can’t they complain to the government? Why is it now, with the new president in place, that they are looking for evil as much as they can?
“Nigeria, for example, does not send us cash, we get tablets for HIV and other things. They have been sending us these aids, and I think it is about time we should say to them thank you very much, but we can now look after ourselves.
