There's no evidence USAID funded Boko Haram in Nigeria - United States Ambassador Richard Mills

The United States Ambassador to Nigeria, Richard Mills, has dismissed allegations that the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) funds Boko Haram or any other terrorist organization.

 

Speaking in Abuja on Wednesday night during a meeting with members of the Nigeria Governors Forum, Mills stated that there is no evidence to support the claims.

 

“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,” he said.

 

Mills assured that the U.S. government has strict policies to prevent USAID or any other U.S. assistance from being diverted to terrorist groups.

 

“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, U.S. Congressman Scott Perry accused USAID of funding terrorist groups, including Boko Haram. Perry, a Republican from Pennsylvania, made the claim during the inaugural hearing of the Subcommittee on Delivering on Government Efficiency, in a session titled The War on Waste: Stamping Out the Scourge of Improper Payments and Fraud.

 

He alleged that USAID’s financial activities had directly benefited terror groups worldwide, including Boko Haram, Al-Qaeda, and ISIS.

 

“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.

 

Concerned by the allegations, the Nigerian Senate summoned the National Security Adviser (NSA), Nuhu Ribadu; the Director-General of the National Intelligence Agency (NIA), Mohammed Mohammed; and the Director-General of the State Security Services (SSS), Oluwatosin Ajayi.

 

Senate President Godswill Akpabio, who announced the decision during plenary on Wednesday, February 19, said the security officials would appear in a closed-door session to verify the claims.

 

The resolution to summon the security heads followed a motion sponsored by Borno South Senator Ali Ndume, who expressed concern over the persistent threat posed by Boko Haram despite the federal government’s financial investments in counter-terrorism. Ndume stressed the urgent need to determine the validity of the allegations, stating, “There must be clarity on this 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 emphasized the necessity of compelling security heads to clarify the issue. The motion was widely supported by the senators when put to vote by the Senate President.