Security
Nigerian senator Ndume demands investigation of US congressman’s USAID terrorist funding allegations
Senator representing Borno South Senatorial District, Ali Mohammed Ndume has demanded for investigation of claims by the United States congressman, Scott Perry who claimed that the United States Agency for International Development, USAID has been funding terrorist organisations, including Boko Haram in the North Eastern Nigeria.
He expressed concerns over the allegation, stating that the claim should not be swept under the carpet, but it should be investigated by the National Assembly, the Federal Government and other relevant security agencies.
The lawmaker who hails from the Southern Borno, an hotbed of Boko Haram and the Islamic State of West African Province, ISWAP operations, was reacting to claims by the American lawmaker, a Republican from Pennsylvania on Thursday last week during the inaugural public hearing of the U.S House SubCommittee on Delivering on Government Efficiency in the United States.
In a viral video, which could be obtained across several media platforms, Perry alleged that USAID had been providing up to $697m annually to terrorist groups, including Boko Haram.
But the former Chief Whip of the Nigerian Senate, Ndume speaking during an interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Sunday, Ndume recalled devastation caused by terrorists, wondering about the sophistication of weapons at their disposal.
Ndume said: “Boko Haram has ravaged not only the North-East but even Nigeria as a whole. You can remember how Boko Haram bombed the police headquarters and the UN office in Abuja.
The casualties were enormous. But the security agencies have raised this issue indirectly several times. Even the Borno State government was wary of the operations of some NGOs,” Ndume stated.
He recalled a past security operation where an NGO was allegedly caught training individuals on how to use firearms.
“We have been wondering for years—aside from raids and kidnappings—where are these terrorists getting their funds? It’s worrisome. Now that a U.S. Congressman has openly spoken about it, we can’t dismiss it as just an allegation.
It’s more than that. That’s why the Nigerian government and the National Assembly, especially, need to investigate and verify the veracity of such claims,” he added.
