The United States Ambassador to Nigeria, Richard Mills, has categorically dismissed allegations that the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) is financing Boko Haram or any terrorist group in Nigeria.
Speaking after a meeting with the Nigeria Governors Forum in Abuja on Wednesday, Mills assured that the US government maintains strict oversight on aid disbursement and would take immediate action if any evidence of such funding misuse emerged.
“There is no friend of Nigeria stronger in condemning Boko Haram’s violence and disregard for human life than the United States,” Mills stated. “We have designated Boko Haram as a foreign terrorist organization since 2013, blocking its assets in the US and collaborating with Nigerian authorities in counterterrorism investigations.”
His remarks come in response to US Congressman Scott Perry’s recent claims that USAID funds were being diverted to support terrorist groups, including Boko Haram. Perry, a Republican from Pennsylvania, made the explosive statement during a congressional hearing on government efficiency, alleging that US aid money was flowing into the hands of terrorist organizations.
The claims sparked widespread debate on the role of USAID in Nigeria, prompting the Nigerian Senate to call for an inquiry by the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, alongside intelligence agencies to verify any potential links.
Mills reaffirmed the US government’s zero-tolerance policy on aid misuse, stating, “There is absolutely no evidence of such diversion, and if we ever had proof of it, we would immediately investigate alongside our Nigerian partners.”
