The US Ambassador Disputes Allegations that Boko Haram in Nigeria is Difficult for USAID to Finance.

The United States Ambassador to Nigeria, Richard Mills, has refuted allegations that the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) provides financial support to terrorist organizations such as Boko Haram in Nigeria. During a meeting with members of the Nigeria Governors Forum in Abuja on Wednesday evening, Mills stated: “There is unequivocally no evidence to support such claims, and should we ever obtain proof that any program funding is being misappropriated by Boko Haram, we would promptly initiate an investigation in collaboration with our Nigerian partners. “We engage in joint investigations with the Nigerian government. I can assure you that we adhere to stringent policies and procedures to prevent any USAID funding or other US assistance, whether from USAID, the Department of Defense, or the State Department, from being diverted to terrorist entities like Boko Haram. “Thus, regarding Boko Haram, the United States aligns with Nigeria in its commitment to eliminate the threat posed by this organization. “To be unequivocal—there is no ally of Nigeria more resolute in denouncing Boko Haram’s violence and its blatant disregard for human life than the United States. We have classified Boko Haram as a foreign terrorist organization since 2013, which has enabled us to block the group from accessing assets in the US and to apprehend and detain its members.” It is noteworthy that on February 13, US Congressman Scott Perry accused USAID of financing terrorist organizations, including Boko Haram. Perry, a Republican from Pennsylvania, made these assertions during the inaugural hearing of the Subcommittee on Delivering on Government Efficiency.

The session, titled “The War on Waste: Stamping Out the Scourge of Improper Payments and Fraud,” focused on allegations regarding the misappropriation of taxpayer funds. Perry claimed that USAID’s financial operations have directly benefited terrorist groups globally, including Boko Haram, Al-Qaeda, and ISIS. He claimed that the annual budget of USAID, amounting to $697 million and encompassing cash disbursements to Islamic educational institutions (madrasas), might have unintentionally supported extremist training facilities and terrorist organizations. “Who benefits from this funding? Your contributions, totaling $697 million each year, along with the cash transfers to madrasas, ISIS, Al-Qaeda, Boko Haram, ISIS Khorasan, and terrorist training camps. This is what the funding is supporting,” Perry asserted.