The Nigerian Senate has invited the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, in its quest to clear the suggestion that the United States Aids For International Development, USAIDS, funded dreaded Boko Haram for years in the country.
In 2009, the Abubakar Shekau-led Boko Haram terrorists led an insurrection that has left many parts of the northern Nigeria devastated; many people had been killed while properties worth billions have been destroyed by the blood thirsty Islamic group.
While they have been seriously decimated by security agencies, the terrorists still have some enclaves in the north east.
Amidst this development, a United states, US ,Congressman, Scott Perry, recently alleged that USAID funded terrorist organisations, including Boko Haram for years.
The lawmaker spoke following the decision f US President Donald Trump to end USAIDS through an Executive Order.
As the controversy persists, the Nigerian Senate during plenary on Wednesday, passed a resolution to invite the NSA following a motion on the issue by Senators Ali Ndume from Borno state and seconded by Abdul Ningi from Bauchi state.
Apart from the NSA, the Director Generals of the DSS Adeola Ajayi and National Intelligence Agency, NIA, Mohammed Mohammed were also invited to brief the Senate on camera the truthfulness of the allegations raised by the US lawmaker.
While ruling on the motion, Senate President Godswill Akpabio said there was need to get to the root of the matter, as Senator Ningi said it will be difficult to ascertain the veracity of the allegation raised by the US legislator.
Ningi said the NSA and other security chiefs will provide information required by the senate during the investigations, saying the allegation of the US lawmaker cannot be taken hook line and sinker.
According to Ningi, “At this point, whatever is written here is germane. But, it is almost impossible to do justice to the issues raised in this motion here.
“We do not need an elaborate debate on this issue, we need to be briefed by security agencies first in a closed-door session.
“Let’s take only one prayer-we invite NSA, the DG, NIA, DSS for a closed-door session with the Senate on this matter. The reason? This is their duty; that is what they are funded to do as their work.
“With the briefing by the security chiefs, we can take it up from there.
“Let’s do the work with some facts provided by these security chiefs at a closed-door session.”
The US senator had alleged that the USAIDS were not put to proper use, nothing that a huge part of the global financial assistance from the US to poor countries fell into the hand of many terrorist groups.
“Who gets some of that money? Does that name ring a bell to anybody in the room? Because your money, your money, $697 million annually, plus the shipments of cash funds in Madrasas, ISIS, Al-Qaeda, Boko Haram, ISIS Khorasan, terrorist training camps. That’s what it’s funding,” Perry said.
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