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The US Ambassador to Nigeria, Richard Mills, denies allegations that USAID funds Boko Haram.
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Mills stated that there is no evidence to support the claims made by US Congressman Scott Perry.
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The ambassador assured that if any evidence is found, the US and Nigerian governments will collaborate to investigate.
The United States Ambassador to Nigeria, Richard Mills, has categorically denied allegations that the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) funds Boko Haram.
Mills made this statement after meeting with the Nigeria Governors Forum in Abuja on Wednesday night.
According to Mills, “Let me be clear—there is no friend of Nigeria stronger in condemning Boko Haram’s violence and disregard for human life than the United States.”
He emphasized that the US has strict policies to prevent USAID or any other US assistance from being diverted to terrorist groups like Boko Haram.
Mills’ statement comes after US Congressman Scott Perry alleged that USAID had funded terrorist organizations, including Boko Haram. Perry made this claim during a hearing on government efficiency and waste.
The US Ambassador assured that if any evidence is found to support the allegations, the US and Nigerian governments will collaborate to investigate.
“We cooperate in investigations with the Nigerian government. I can assure you that we have strict policies and procedures to ensure that USAID funding or any other US assistance… is not diverted to terrorist groups like Boko Haram,” Mills said.
READ ALSO: Why Military Hasn’t Wiped Out Boko Haram – Chief Of Defence Explains
Mills also clarified that President Donald Trump’s administration did not cut assistance but implemented a 90-day pause to develop ways to make it more effective.
He added that no decisions have been made about the future of US assistance to Nigeria.
The Nigerian Senate had summoned the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, and heads of other security agencies to address allegations of terrorist funding involving USAID.
Gov Zulum Gifts N30m to Family of Army Officer Killed by Boko Haram
Borno State Governor, Babagana Zulum, has gifted N30 million to the family of Lieutenant Colonel Thomas Ebisingha Alari, who was recently killed in the ongoing fight against Boko Haram insurgents in the Timbuktu Triangle.
Governor Zulum personally handed over the donation to the officer’s wife on Saturday in Maiduguri, expressing his condolences to the bereaved family and honoring the sacrifices of soldiers battling insurgency in the region.
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