US Ambassador Denies USAID Funds Boko Haram, Assures Strict Oversight

The United States Ambassador to Nigeria, Richard Mills, has strongly refuted claims that the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) is funding Boko Haram or any other terrorist groups. 

Speaking after a meeting with the Nigeria Governors Forum in Abuja, Mills emphasized that the U.S. government is committed to preventing any diversion of assistance to terrorist organizations and would work closely with Nigerian authorities if any evidence of such activities emerged.

Mills addressed a recent accusation by Congressman Scott Perry, who alleged that USAID funds were being used to support groups like Boko Haram.

 The Ambassador clarified that the U.S. has stringent policies in place to ensure that no aid goes to such groups, and reiterated the U.S.’s unwavering condemnation of Boko Haram’s violence. 

Mills also touched upon ongoing U.S.-Nigeria cooperation in investigations and assured that no funding misappropriation had been found.

He further explained the 90-day pause on U.S. assistance programs, not as a reduction but as a way to improve their effectiveness and align them more closely with U.S. policies and interests. 

Mills highlighted the importance of sustainability in U.S. health programs in Nigeria, particularly efforts related to HIV, maternal care, and polio eradication.