Alleged USAID sponsorship of Boko Haram: Senate summons NSA, DSS, NIA, DIA

The Senate has summoned the National Security Adviser, DG Department of State Service, DG National Intelligence Agency and DG Defence Intelligence Agency for briefing on the weighty allegation that the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) sponsors terrorism, particularly Boko Haram in Nigeria.

This is sequel to a motion on urgent need to investigate the allegation against USAID by an American Congressman, Perry Scott sponsored by Senator Ali Ndume (Borno South).

The Senate President, Godswill Akpabio asked Senator Ningi to move a motion to invite those heads of security agencies to brief the Senate in close session before the lawmakers can make comments on the allegation in the open, but noted the allegation and the devastation that Boko Haram has caused the nation.

He commended President Bola Tinubu for being able to tackle the situation to a point where no territory in the country today is hoisting the flag of Boko Haram”, adding “whether we like it or not he has done a very difficult job well and so we must commend him across party lines”.

Therefore, the Senate resolved to invite the National Security Adviser (NSA), the Director General NIA, Director General DSS, the head of DIA for a closed door session with the Senate to discuss what it termed sensitive matter and any other security matter at a closed door”.

While seconding the motion, Senator Kaka Shehu (Borno Central) reiterated that the allegation was made by Scott Perry, that it was not a social media thing, adding that investigation is going on right now in the united states congress.

Kaka told the Senate “today the President Donald Trump also said specifically that in that investigation the support given to Nigeria so far should also be investigated”.

The Senate President Godswill Akpabio was of the view that it is only through thorough investigation, which he said America was already doing and which Nigeria must also investigate “because we won’t just keep quiet

“If it is true that USAID has been funding Boko Haram in Nigeria we have no business allowing them to have offices in Nigeria, we take decisive steps and also ask for recompense, particularly we must go deeper into the issues; so, it’s important that we get briefed by our intelligence community”.

Speaking with journalists, Senator Ndume said the motion he sponsored was already in the public domain, “it is all over the social media, the print media and the electronic media because of the sensitiveness and importance of this matter that relates to terrorism and especially Boko Haram.

“Here, you know the damage, the destruction inflicted on Nigeria, the north in particular and the BAY states (Borno, Adamawa, Yobe), specifically it is estimated that over 50,000 people are killed over 2.5 million people have been displaced, 1 million children are out of school.

“As I’m speaking to you, we have over 400,000 people that are refugees in Niger, Chad and Cameroun and other places and we have people from the bay states or from the Northeast affected by Boko Haram that have scattered all over the country”.

He said, though the Nigerian security agencies are doing their best on issue of terrorism, “still, especially, this year or by the end of last year, we are witnessing a resurgence of Boko Haram, ISWAP, Lakurawa and the continued herders/farmers clashes in the north central.

“In fact, even in the South-East, South-West, it’s not safe because we have had reports of terrorists trying to infiltrate the south.

He said getting this information from Scott Perry, the congressman, alleging that the USAID is involved in sponsoring terrorism internationally, it’s not something that the Nigerian government or the National Assembly should ignore, weep under the carpet, or take it for granted.

According to him the allegation is a pointer that activities of aid agencies and NGOs are shrouded with suspicious dealings all this while.