US Ambassador Richard Mills rejects allegations of USAID funding Boko Haram, emphasizing no evidence supports the claims.
The United States Ambassador to Nigeria, Richard Mills, has firmly rejected claims that the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) funds Boko Haram or any other terrorist organization. Mills, speaking at a meeting with the Nigeria Governors Forum in Abuja on Wednesday, stated that there is no evidence to support such allegations.
He emphasized that no country condemns Boko Haram’s violence more strongly than the United States and reassured that if any evidence of misused funds surfaced, the U.S. would immediately collaborate with Nigerian authorities to investigate. “There is absolutely no evidence of such diversion,” Mills said, adding that the U.S. has stringent policies to ensure that its aid is not misdirected to terrorist groups.
The U.S. has designated Boko Haram as a foreign terrorist organization since 2013, blocking the group’s access to assets in the U.S. and enabling the arrest and seizure of its members. Mills reiterated that the U.S. stands with Nigeria in its fight against Boko Haram, underscoring their commitment to eradicating the group’s influence.
The controversy began after U.S. Congressman Scott Perry accused USAID during a congressional hearing on February 13, 2025, of inadvertently funding terrorist groups, including Boko Haram. Perry, a Republican from Pennsylvania, suggested that USAID’s financial activities, such as cash payments to madrasas, might be benefiting extremist groups worldwide. He alleged that USAID’s $697 million annual budget had contributed to funding terror groups like Boko Haram, Al-Qaeda, and ISIS.
In response to the allegations, the Nigerian Senate summoned National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu, as well as the heads of the National Intelligence Agency (NIA) and the Department of State Services (SSS), to investigate the claims. The Senate, concerned by the potential link between USAID funding and terrorism, called for a closed-door session to address the matter. The motion to summon the security chiefs was supported by several senators, including Borno South Senator Ali Ndume, who emphasized the urgency of verifying the claims regarding USAID’s involvement in global terrorism funding.
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