The Nigerian Senate has summoned top intelligence chiefs, including National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu, to investigate allegations that the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) has been indirectly funding Boko Haram. This follows a claim by U.S. Congressman Scott Perry, who accused USAID of funneling taxpayer money to global terrorist groups, including Boko Haram, during a congressional hearing.
Perry alleged that $697 million in aid was misappropriated, funding terror networks like ISIS and Al-Qaeda, alongside claims that $136 million meant for school construction in Pakistan vanished without a trace.
In response, the Nigerian Senate swiftly adopted a motion by Senator Mohammed Ali Ndume to call intelligence leaders for a private briefing. Senate President Godswill Akpabio supported the move but insisted that sensitive security details should remain confidential. Akpabio also warned that Nigeria would consider shutting down USAID operations if the allegations proved true.
This development came shortly after the U.S. Embassy in Nigeria pledged to ensure that all aid is properly monitored and directed toward its intended recipients.
Meanwhile, Borno State elders have urged the Nigerian government to expel USAID from the region, backing Perry’s claims and calling for an international investigation. Dr. Bulama Male Gubio of the Borno Elders Forum revealed that concerns about foreign NGOs’ activities had been raised as far back as 2014 but were largely ignored.
The Federal Government has also renewed its commitment to rebuilding the insurgency-ravaged Northeast, with the Minister of State for Regional Development, Uba Ahmadu, vowing to accelerate projects through the North East Development Commission (NEDC).
As investigations unfold, both the Nigerian government and international partners face pressure to ensure that aid funds do not become lifelines for terror groups undermining regional security.
