Alleged Funding Of Boko Haram: Senate invites NSA, Others

The Senate has summoned the National Security Adviser, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu to brief lawmakers in close session over an alleged funding of Boko Haram by the United States Agency for International Development, (USAID).

Also invited alongside the NSA are the Heads of the National Intelligence Agency (NIA), Defence Intelligence Agency, (DIA) and Department of State Security Services (DSS).

The Senate’s resolution is sequel to a motion sponsored by Sen.Ali Ndume (APC-Borno) at plenary on Wednesday.

A Trending social media video revealed where a US Congressman, Scott Perry, had said that US aid agency, United States Agency for International Development, (USAID,)funded terrorist organisations, including Boko Haram.

Perry, a Republican representing Pennsylvania, made the claim during the inaugural hearing of the Subcommittee on Delivering on Government Efficiency on Thursday.

The session, titled “The War on Waste: Stamping Out the Scourge of Improper Payments and Fraud,” focused on alleged misappropriations of taxpayer funds.

Ndume in his motion said the social media space has been awash with trending video of a United States Republican congressman called Scott Perry representing Pennsylvania alleging that USAID has been funding terrorist organisations across the world, Boko Haram inclusive.

He said that the devastation caused by Boko Haram in the North East region and other parts of the country, which includes bombing, including the UN office in Abuja and police headquarters among other attacks said that the attacks has been a source of concern.

This , he said, led to the loss of lives of Nigerians in thousands and wanton destruction of property resulting to unprecedented internal displacement across the country.

Ndume said the federal government over the years had strived to put measures in place to curtail the activities of terrorist groups in the country by expending huge resources which seem not to have yielded much results as the activities of terrorists continued.

He said that the monumental devastation caused by Boko Haram in Nigeria should be a matter of concern as it had dented the image of the country among the commity of nations.

Ndume said for allegations to begin to emerge at this point, some international organisations are behind the unwholesome act, adding that urgent steps needed to be taken by the federal government to unravel the mystery.

Contributing Sen.Shehu Kaka(APC-Borno),who seconded the motion said the allegation was weighty saying that banditry and other forms of criminality had affected the 109 senatorial districts, stressing that efforts should be made to unravel funding of Boko Haram.

Sen.Abdul Ningi (PDP-Bauchi)said it was impossible for the senate to do justice to the matter in plenary, without the input of relevant security agencies, who should be invited to brief the senate in a closed session.

In his remarks, President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio thanked Ningi for his contribution, adding that the concerned security agencies should brief the senate in a closed session on the allegation stressing that such security issues should not be discussed in the open .

James Itodo, Edited By Grace Namiji