USAID: FG, Security Agencies Are Handicapped, They Can’t Question International Organizations – Ndume

The Senator representing Borno South District, Ali Ndume, has disclosed that the federal government and security agencies do not have oversight over the activities of international organizations and Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs).

Naijaonpoint reports that Senator Ndume said most of the international organizations and NGOs come into the country without registering their presence.

In an interview with Arise News on Wednesday, the former Chairman Senate Committee on Army recalled that the Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa, had raised questions on the funding of Boko Haram and other bandit groups.

“Even the intelligence agencies are questioning; in fact, to be specific, recently, the CDS, the Chief of Defense Staff, was asking this question, he was saying that they are wondering how these people get their weapons, how do they get money?

“Generally, let me tell you, the Nigerian Armed Forces and Security Agencies are handicapped in the sense that they don’t have the backing or the right to even question the activities of this international organization, not even the federal government. Because, let me tell you, these NGOs or international organizations come into this country directly without reporting to the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and without being oversighted by anybody. That is because that’s what they want. That’s the way they operate,” he said.

The All Progressives Congress (APC) lawmaker stated that most international organizations failed to classify Boko Haram as a terrorist organization.

He, however, expressed hope that the investigation would confirm if the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) funded Boko Haram.

He continued, “That I guess is why they are not calling Boko Haram or agreeing that this is a terrorist organization.  It’s not that the Nigerian security agencies don’t have this information. It will come out. It is the right opportunity. And this motion that I brought, hopefully, will now unveil the hidden things going on through investigation. We are doing a closed-door hearing with them. They will be able to come out now to tell the Senate what they suspect. And the information, they have a lot of information.

“The CDS is being bold enough. Before, they don’t. I remember an incidence, as I said, one time. The Nigerian Army, through their intelligence, got information that they are engaging in funny things. And they raided the place, and the whole world say, how can you?”