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BREAKING: Senate summons Security Intelligence Chiefs over alleged USAID’s funding of Boko Haram, terrorism
The Nigerian Senate Wednesday adopted a resolution summoning the heads of Security Intelligence Chiefs for investigation into alleged funding of Boko Haram and other terrorists activities by the United States Agency for International Development USAID.
The investigation followed a revelation by Perry Scott of the United States parliament that USAID was involved in funding terrorism., which the President of the United States, Donald Trump has since stopped the fund.
Before the resolution, Senator Mohammed Ali Ndume representing Borno South Senatorial District raised a point of concern through Order 41, stating the need and urgency of the parliament to investigate the allegation.
Ndume urged the Senate to consider the revelation as too weighty to gloss over, given the devastation that terrirists have done to the country, particularly the Boko Haram fighters, stressing that the investigation would put paid to speculations on how the non-state actors have been surviving over the years.
Recounting the ordeal of attacks by terrorists in the North East and other parts of Nigeria, the lawmaker said, “over 50,000 persons have been killed by terrorists, over 250,000 displaced while over 400,000 persons are currently in refugee camps in Niger, Cameroon, Chad and Nigeria.”
The heads of security intelligence agencies summoned by the Senate are, National Intelligence Agency, NIA, Directorate of Intelligence Agency, DIA, Department of State Services, DSS, and the National Security Adviser, NIA.
In his remark, Senate President, Godswill Obot Akpabio said, the investigation was necessary as they can’t rely on social media to say the U.S parliamentarian made that statement.
“You social media is garbage in, garbage out. Many of us have been victims of social media attacks. Ninety-nine percent of what is in social media is inaccurate, sometimes, it is total speculation and sometimes, it Is total mischief. Three is no way, we can shave the man’s head behind his back.
“We must hear from our intelligent agencies like the NIA, DIA, DSS, and NSA.
Senate President, Godswill in sustaining the resolution remarked that security issues should not be discussed in the market, noting that the head of security intelligence will offer the Senate better perspective in a close door meeting with them.
