The Senate has summoned the National Security Adviser, NSA , Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, Director General of the Department of State Services, DSS, Adeola Ajayi; Director General of the National Intelligence Agency, NIA, Ambassador Mohammed Mohammed, and the Director of the Defense Intelligence Agency, DIA, Major General Emmanuel Undiandeye, over alleged sponsorship of Boko Haram by the United States Aid for International Development, USAID.
They are to appear before the lawmakers behind closed doors for an explanation of the allegation levelled against the US agency.
This is even as President Bola Tinubu and Senate President Godswill Akpabio met last night at the presidential villa to discuss the matter.
The Senate, however, raised serious concerns over the escalating insecurity in the country and the alarming allegations that certain international agencies might have been financing the Boko Haram insurgency in the country.
The meeting is also to assess the credibility of the allegations, discuss Nigeria’s broader security challenges and determine necessary policy responses.
However, no date has been fixed for the meeting with the heads of the nation’s intelligence agencies.
Recall that a United States congressman, Scott Perry, had a few days ago, alleged that USAID had been sponsoring activities of Boko Haram in Nigeria.
Though Perry’s allegation is already being investigated by the US congress, the Senate also at yesterday’s plenary, resolved to do a similar thing.
Resolution of the Senate was sequel to a motion sponsored by Senator Ali Ndume and co- sponsored by eight other senators.
The Senate after debate on the motion, resolved to summon the NSA , the Director-General of DSS, his counterparts in NIA and DIA behind closed doors on a day to be communicated to them.
In his presentation of the motion, Senator Ndume highlighted the reports circulating in the media, following a hearing by the U.S. Subcommittee on Delivering on Government Efficiency.
At the hearing, U.S. Congressman, Scott Perry, alleged that USAID had been unintentionally channelling approximately $697 million annually to terrorist groups across the world.
The former Senate leader, who expressed concern over the mystery surrounding Boko Haram’s sources of fund and its sustained ability to wreak havoc across Nigeria, particularly in the northeastern region, said: “It is known that over the years, the modus operandi of Boko Haram in Nigeria has been a source of great concern.
Trump’s move
At this point, Senator Ndume countered Akpabio’s remarks, asserting that the claims were not merely social media rumours, but were actively being investigated by the U.S. Congress.
He added that Parliament Reports recalled that in January, Us President, Donald Trump, also suspended all foreign aid for 90 days, explaining that the pause was to determine whether the use of those funds aligned with America’s interests.
Recall that the United States Mission in Nigeria Tuesday announced plans an investigation into how past aid allocation to Nigeria and other countries were utilised.
In a post on its verified X (formerly Twitter) handle, the Mission confirmed that that monitoring systems were in place to track past assistance provided by the US government.
‘’Comprehensive monitoring and evaluation systems are in place to help very that US assistance reaches intended recipients,’’ the Mission had stated.
Meanwhile, President Bola Tinubu met last night with the President of the Senate, Senator Godswill Akpabio over the matter, at the president’s official residence at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
Although the agenda of the meeting was not made public at press time, it came hours after the Senate summoned intelligence chiefs to investigate allegations made by United States congressman, Scott Perry, that the United States Agency for International Development, USAID, had been funding terrorist organisations, including Boko Haram.
Akpabio had earlier at plenary on ther floor of the Senate yesterday, said the federal government won’t allow USAID to continue operating in Nigeria, if found guilty of sponsoring terrorism.
