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The United States congressman, Scott Perry, who accused the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) of financing terror groups like Boko Haram, has failed to substantiate his claim despite being asked to do so.
In February, Mr Perry claimed that USAID funded Boko Haram and other terror groups. He made the claims during the inaugural session of the Congress’ Subcommittee on Delivering on Government Efficiency (DOGE), an advisory body created by US President Donald Trump, who appointed Elon Musk, the world’s richest man, to lead it.
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The controversial advisory body was tasked to cut US government spending but has been accused of illegally interfering with or stopping the work of several government agencies, including USAID.
According to Mr Perry, the USAID’s annual budget of $697 million, including cash shipments to madrasas (Islamic schools), has inadvertently funded terrorist training camps and extremist groups.
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“Your money, $697 million annually, plus shipments of cash, funds ISIS, al-Qaeda, Boko Haram, ISIS Khorasan, and terrorist training camps,” he had said in a minute video circulated across social media in February. “That’s what it’s funding,”
He provided no evidence of his claim in the video, with many Democrats saying Republicans are willing to demonise the US aid agency to kill it.
Mr Perry, among other things, also faulted the USAID’s $136 million expenditure on building 120 schools in Pakistan. He alleged that the schools were never constructed.
Mr Perry’s allegations against the agency stirred mixed reactions among Nigerians, with many citizens believing that USAID funded the terrorist group.
While the US Ambassador to Nigeria, Richard Mills Jr, disputed the allegation for lack of evidence, lawmakers from insurgency-ravaged Borno and Bauchi states urged the Senate to investigate the claims.
During a plenary session in February, Senators Ali Ndume, Abdul Ningi and Kaka Shehu told the Senate to invite the National Security Adviser (NSA), Nuhu Ribadu; Director-General of the National Intelligence Agency, Mohammed Mohammed, and the Director General of the State Security Services (SSS), Oluwatosin Ajayi, over the claims. Granting their request, the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, said the security helmsmen will appear before the lawmakers in a closed-door session to speak on Mr Perry’s allegations against USAID.
PREMIUM TIMES reported that a few days after Mr Perry made his remarks, the US embassy in Nigeria posted a cryptic message on X, saying it probed all assistance given to Nigeria to ensure it reached the intended recipients.
The embassy’s post was not categorical if it probed all USAID funding in Nigeria, including the one alluded to by the US lawmaker, or if it intends to commence a fresh probe. It, however, condemned the “blatant disregard for human life perpetrated by Boko Haram.”
A few days later, the US Ambassador to Nigeria, Richard Mills, disputed Mr Perry’s allegation, saying there was no evidence for it.
Mr Perry fails to substantiate his claims
In a response to an enquiry by a US-based Nigerian human rights lawyer, Emmanuel Ogebe, Mr Perry failed to substantiate his claims that USAID funded Boko Haram and other terrorist groups.
Mr Ogebe, who shared a thread of email exchanges between him and the US congressman with PREMIUM TIMES, said he also petitioned the US Department of Justice to investigate Mr Perry.
In a letter he wrote to the congressman, Mr Ogebe advised Mr Perry to either substantiate his claim or quickly repudiate it “regarding Boko Haram before anyone gets hurt.”
“No political propaganda or showboating is worth putting Americans’ lives at risk abroad for a lie,” he wrote Mr Perry, noting that his “baseless” claims have “sent shockwaves through Nigeria and elicited targeting of innocent Christians and aid workers.”
“To make matters worse, you have further endangered hundreds of American diplomats in one of the largest U.S. embassies in the world, many of whom already lost their jobs due to the vampiric shutdown by lawless non-state actors in DC,” his letter to Mr Perry read.
Mr Ogebe recalled how a bomb attack on the US embassy compound in Abuja by terrorists led to the displacement of American diplomats and their families.
“They and their families were internationally displaced for months before returning in early 2023 to Nigeria,” he told Mr Perry. “For you to make such false and unfounded allegations, right after Musk’s admission that USAID’s $50 million condoms used for bombings by Hamas terrorists was untrue, irresponsibly jeopardises the security of American diplomats and their families, local Christians and aid workers in Nigeria.”
Mr Perry’s response
In his response dated 26 March, Mr Perry avoided commenting about his previous allegation that USAID funded Boko Haram. He, instead, focussed on what he said were irregularities such as waste, fraud, and abuse by agencies like the USAID which “have run rampant in the federal government for decades.” He said DOGE is trying to address it all.
“The main mission of DOGE is to ensure that the resources of hardworking American People are not squandered,” he continued. “DOGE is going line-by-line across the federal budget inspecting and trying to eliminate waste – something for which I’ve fought and advocated since coming to Congress, so it has my full and enthusiastic support.”
He then reiterated some allegations that Republicans like himself have levelled against the USAID without mentioning his original allegation of funding Boko Haram.
Mr Perry said USAID funded “partisan” media outlets like Politico, “which received over $8M (and almost $500K for 37 Politico Pro subscriptions at the FDA).” He also accused USAID of giving the Taliban $15 million for condoms. He claimed that the embattled agency gave more than $446,000 to promote atheism in Nepal.
In addition, he said USAID gave $14 million in cash vouchers for non-citizens at the US southern border; $1.5 million for promoting jobs for LGBTQ persons in Serbia and $2.5 million for electric vehicle charging stations in Vietnam.
Mr Perry also accused USAID of providing over $425,000 to Indonesian coffee companies to help them become more climate and gender-friendly.
He added that more than $3.3 million was spent in the Caribbean for “being LGBTQ.” He also accused USAID of giving $20 million for a Sesame Street-style show in Iraq.
“This is all just the tip of the iceberg of USAID offenses; it’s insanity – at best – and not only can USAID’s end not come soon enough, but it must be investigated thoroughly for fraud and abuse of Taxpayer dollars,” he told Mr Ogebe.
Mr Perry claimed that that was “too hard for many Members of Congress, the Executive branch, and bureaucrats to handle, let alone actually address.”
“So now that DOGE was allowed to deep-dive into the stunning grift of USAID, it certainly has my full support here as well,” he noted.
He also spoke on how DOGE is tampering with personal information, exonerating the body of such misconduct.
“DOGE has no access to the Treasury’s tax and Social Security data,” he said. “As a Member on the House Oversight Committee, I will continue to ensure the safety and security of Americans’ personal data.”
While Mr Perry applauded President Trump’s executive action, he noted that the government’s efficiency needs to be codified.
“I have introduced a Balanced Budget Amendment to the Constitution every Session that I’ve been in Congress,” he said. “It requires the federal government to balance its budget and limit it to spending only what it takes in each year.”
“President Trump has taken the first step towards fiscal sanity, now it’s time for Congress to take it to the finish line,” he added. Appreciating Mr Ogebe for contacting him, he said, “I appreciate your concerns and welcome your continued feedback.”
Mr Perry thanked the lawyer for contacting him about DOGE’s examination of the USAID. “I appreciate your views on this matter, as I do your patience as we navigate a great deal of communication,” he wrote.
Terrorism in Nigeria
Boko Haram is a terrorist group in Nigeria. It started around the year 2000 as an Islamic movement but went fully violent in 2009 after its spiritual leader and founder, Mohammed Yusuf, was executed by the police in the North-east. That marked the genesis of an ongoing insurgency in the region.
Late Abubakar Shekau succeeded Mr Yusuf and declared a holy war (Jihad) against the Nigerian government and Nigerians that did not subscribe to the group’s Jihadi ideology. By 2013, the group was designated as a Foreign Terrorist Organisation by Nigeria and the US.
READ ALSO: US govt ends 83 per cent of USAID programmes, cancels 5,200 contracts
Infighting in the group led a faction to break away and form Ansaru, a terror group linked to al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM).
In 2016, a more deadly faction, Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), broke away from Boko Haram, undermining the Nigerian government’s counterinsurgency war.
The insurgency has now been on for about two decades with no hope of its ending soon despite the efforts of the Nigerian government.
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