The House of Representatives has resolved to conduct an investigation into recent allegations made by a United States Congressman, that the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) has been utilized to fund the activities of Boko Haram and other insurgent groups in Nigeria.
To this end, the House has established a Special Committee to examine the operations of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in Nigeria, focusing on their actual identities, funding sources, and expenditure practices.
The lawmakers have urged the federal government to engage with the U.S. Government through its Committee on Foreign Affairs to seek formal clarification regarding these allegations. The House has also mandated its Committees on National Security and Intelligence, Defence, Foreign Affairs, and Inter-Governmental Affairs to investigate the activities of NGOs operating within Nigeria, including their identities, funding channels, and the application of their financial resources.
These resolutions are a response to a motion under urgent public importance titled “Motion of Urgent Public Importance on the Need to Investigate the Allegation by U.S. Congressman Scott Perry ‘That the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Has Allegedly Funded Boko Haram and Other International Terrorist Organizations.’” This motion was presented by the Honorable Inuwa Garba during a plenary session on Thursday.
Honorable Garba expressed substantial concern regarding Congressman Scott Perry’s recent assertion that USAID has been involved in financing Boko Haram and other terrorist organizations operating globally. He pointed out that Congressman Perry made this claim during the inaugural hearing of the U.S. House Subcommittee on Delivering on Government Efficiency, during which he alleged that “$697 million was spent annually, coupled with cash shipments to Madrasas, ISIS, Al-Qaeda, and Boko Haram.”
Garba emphasized that, given Boko Haram’s significant presence in northern Nigeria, it is reasonable to conclude that the organization may have derived considerable benefits from the alleged funding. He cautioned that, if proven true, these allegations pose serious national and international security concerns, particularly regarding external influences on Nigeria's efforts to combat insurgency and terrorism.