A United States Congressman, Scott Perry has alleged that the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) has been funding terrorist organisations, including Boko Haram, through its financial aid programmes.
Perry, a Republican from Pennsylvania, made this claim during the inaugural hearing of the Subcommittee on Delivering on Government Efficiency yesterday (Thursday, February 13).
In his presentation, titled “The War on Waste: Stamping Out the Scourge of Improper Payments and Fraud,” he questioned USAID’s funding allocations, suggesting that American taxpayer money was being misused to support terrorist groups.
In a video that has since gone viral, Perry said: “Who gets some of that money? Does that name ring a bell to anybody in the room? Because your money, your money, $697 million annually, plus the shipments of cash funds in Madrasas, ISIS, Al-Qaeda, Boko Haram, ISIS Khorasan, and terrorist training camps. That’s what it’s funding,”
The Congressman further alleged that USAID had misallocated $136 million meant for constructing 120 schools in Pakistan, yet there was no evidence of the schools’ existence.
He also claimed that financial support for initiatives such as Operation Enduring Sentinel’s Women’s Scholarship Endowment and Young Women Lead, which receive $60 million and $5 million annually, respectively, had not reached the intended beneficiaries in Afghanistan.
Citing an Inspector General’s report, Perry suggested that the Taliban’s restrictions on women’s participation in public life made it improbable that these funds had been used as intended.
“Somebody else got the money. You are paying for terrorism. This has got to end.” he declared.
Perry’s allegations come amid growing concerns from Nigerian authorities regarding the financial support mechanisms sustaining Boko Haram.
In a recent interview with Al Jazeera, Nigeria’s Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Christopher Musa expressed concerns about how certain International Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) operate in conflict zones, particularly in the North-East, where Boko Haram and ISWAP insurgents are active.
He urged the United Nations (UN) to investigate the sources of funding for terror groups, adding that many insurgents found in Nigerian military operations have been caught with foreign currencies.
“We have talked to international communities, let’s find out the funding. When they started surrendering, as we speak, we have over 120,000 that have surrendered. Most of them, when you find them, they are coming with hard currency. How did they get them? How are they funded? How did they get the training? How did they get the equipment?”
General Musa suggested that there could be an international conspiracy behind Boko Haram’s sustained insurgency over the past 15 years.
“How are they able to sustain themselves for fifteen years? That is one question I think everybody should ask. The UN needs to come in because we need to trace the funding and track it. It is an international flow, and we (Nigeria) don’t have control over that.”
USAID, established in 1961, is responsible for providing foreign aid and development assistance in over 120 countries. The agency funds initiatives in health, education, economic development, and emergency response, often operating in conflict-prone regions.
However, it has faced increasing scrutiny, particularly from conservative lawmakers, who argue that its funds are mismanaged or exploited by groups hostile to the United States.
Since President Donald Trump assumed office on January 20, USAID has been under intense criticism. The Trump administration has pursued efforts to dismantle the agency, arguing that taxpayer funds should prioritise domestic needs over foreign aid.
The administration’s decision to place USAID staff on administrative leave, both in the U.S. and abroad, was met with backlash from Democratic lawmakers and human rights groups, who warned of the humanitarian consequences of limiting the agency’s work.
In a statement on its website, USAID confirmed that staff leave would commence before midnight on February 7, 2024. The agency’s future remains uncertain, with reports suggesting that Trump may issue an executive order transferring USAID operations to the State Department.
Meanwhile, the controversy surrounding USAID has intensified following the dismissal of the agency’s Inspector General, Paul Martin.
Trump dismissed Martin after his report criticised the administration’s efforts to scale back USAID’s personnel and funding. The report highlighted that the agency’s $8.2 billion in taxpayer-funded humanitarian assistance had become increasingly difficult to monitor due to staffing shortages and funding freezes.
The decision to curtail USAID’s operations has also been linked to billionaire Elon Musk, who, in his role as a Special Government Employee and head of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), has been involved in reshaping government expenditure priorities.
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