Nigerian lawmaker Senator Ali Ndume, representing the Borno South Senatorial District, has raised concerns over the operations of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) in Nigeria, stating that their activities appear suspicious.
Last week, U.S. Congressman Scott Perry, a Republican from Pennsylvania, made serious allegations that USAID was being used to finance Boko Haram and other terrorist groups in Nigeria. The claims have sparked significant reactions within Nigeria’s security and political circles.
In response, the Nigerian Senate has taken decisive steps by summoning key security officials, including:
- Nuhu Ribadu, National Security Adviser
- Mohammed Mohammed, Director-General of the National Intelligence Agency
- Oluwatosin Ajayi, Director-General of the State Security Services
This inquiry aims to determine whether there is any truth to the allegations and to assess the level of USAID’s involvement in Nigeria’s security situation.
Speaking on Arise TV on Thursday, Senator Ndume supported calls for a thorough investigation into USAID’s activities, emphasizing that their mode of operation raises red flags.
He explained that one of the reasons USAID’s activities appear suspicious is that they do not allow for oversight, and their personnel venture into locations that are typically inaccessible to others.
“USAID is a big department in the United States established to help other countries and for their purpose. The way they operate makes it so suspicious in the sense that they don’t allow for oversight, and then they go to places where nobody goes,” Ndume said.
The senator further expressed concern over USAID’s secrecy, stressing that the agency carries out operations without full transparency, making it difficult to ascertain their real intentions.
“They also do certain things in secret. That is so worrisome, but then, this is somebody that is coming under the pretense of helping you when you are in need, so you don’t even have the right to ask questions,” he added.
Ndume noted that the United States had recently halted USAID funding in some areas due to what they termed “wasteful spending.” He suggested that this presented a good opportunity for Nigeria to conduct a thorough investigation into USAID’s role in the country.
Given Nigeria’s ongoing battle against insurgency and terrorism, any claims of foreign interference or support for terrorist groups demand urgent attention. The Nigerian Senate’s probe is expected to shed light on whether USAID’s activities align with Nigeria’s security interests or pose a hidden threat.