A recent disclosure by U.S. Congressman Scott Perry has triggered concerns among security experts and diplomats in Nigeria following allegations that the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) provided financial support to terrorist groups, including Boko Haram, with an estimated $697 million annually. Perry, a Republican from Pennsylvania, made these claims during a congressional subcommittee hearing on government efficiency, citing potential misuse of taxpayer funds.
Perry further alleged that $136 million allocated for constructing 120 schools in Pakistan showed no tangible results, while programs like the Women’s Scholarship Endowment and Young Women Lead, receiving $60 million and $5 million annually, might have inadvertently supported terrorism. The assertions raised alarms regarding international aid practices, prompting Nigerian security experts to call for thorough investigations.
Reacting to the claims, Mike Ejiofor, a former Director of the Department of State Services (DSS), expressed no surprise, referencing previous concerns by Nigeria’s Chief of Defence Staff about certain international NGOs potentially collaborating with terrorists. Ejiofor emphasized the importance of a comprehensive probe by Nigeria’s National Assembly and security agencies to verify these allegations before taking decisive action.
International affairs analyst Dr. Ambrose Igboke echoed these concerns, highlighting historical patterns where some global powers allegedly support conflicts to serve political and economic interests. Igboke pointed to the sophisticated weaponry used by Boko Haram as potential evidence of foreign influence, suggesting that nations like Russia and China often reject external aid to avoid such risks.
Security expert Kabir Adamu of Beacon Security and Intelligence Limited noted that espionage activities often involve indirect financial channels, complicating efforts to trace such funds conclusively. He stressed the need for proactive measures by Nigerian authorities to curb potential external support for terrorist activities while acknowledging the difficulty of directly linking USAID to Boko Haram.
The Nigerian government is yet to issue an official response, but security agencies have reportedly begun preliminary investigations into the allegations.
