The U.S. Mission in Nigeria has issued a vague statement following public outrage over allegations that American aid funds have been funnelled to terrorist groups, including Boko Haram. The statement, however, failed to deny or confirm the claims directly.
Comprehensive monitoring and evaluation systems are in place to help verify that U.S. assistance reaches intended recipients. The United States condemns the violence and blatant disregard for human life perpetrated by Boko Haram and other terrorist groups in Nigeria and the region”, the embassy stated.
It also referenced Boko Haram’s designation as a Foreign Terrorist Organisation in 2013, which aimed to block its assets, prosecute members, and restrict their travel.
The statement followed serious allegations from U.S. Congressman Scott Perry, who, during a House hearing on 13 February, accused the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) of funnelling billions of dollars to terrorist groups. He claimed American taxpayer money had funded the Taliban, Al-Qaeda, ISIS, and Boko Haram. Perry argued that USAID had lost control of its operations and was financing groups threatening global security.
The U.S. Embassy’s failure to directly deny these claims has fuelled further outrage. Many Nigerians criticised the response as evasive.
“You’ve provided zero clarity and did not address the allegations directly,” one person wrote. Others accused the U.S. of only acknowledging the issue because of public pressure.
Oh, you now realise you need to do comprehensive monitoring? So you were giving out millions of dollars each year without proper oversight? You fund Boko Haram abi you no fund am?” another person asked.
Boko Haram has terrorised Nigeria since 2009, killing over 35,000 people and displacing more than 2 million. The group gained global attention in 2014 after kidnapping 276 schoolgirls from Chibok, sparking the #BringBackOurGirls movement. While the U.S. Mission states it will strengthen monitoring to track aid recipients, some Nigerians question why such oversight was not in place.
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