Senate summons NSA Ribadu, DSS, NIA chiefs over alleged USAID terrorism funding

The Senate, on Wednesday, invited the National Security Adviser (NSA), Malam Nuhu Ribadu; the Director-General, National Intelligence Agency (NIA), Mr Mohammed Mohammed; and the Director General of Department of State Services (DSS), Mr Adeola Ajayi, on the recent allegation that the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) funds terrorism, including Boko Haram, around the globe.

The security chiefs are to brief the Senate in camera on the veracity or otherwise of the allegation, which is also being investigated by the US Government.

The Nigerian Senate passed the resolution in Abuja during its plenary presided over by the Senate President, Sen. Godswill Akpabio.

It came as Sen. Ali Ndume (APC, Borno-South), moved a motion of urgent national importance urging the Senate to investigate the allegation, considering the devastations caused by Boko Haram in Nigeria over the years.

However, as the motion was seconded for debate, Sen. Abdul Ningi (PDP, Bauchi-Central), a co-sponsor of the motion, suggested that it should be amended to read that the security chiefs should first brief senators in a closed-door session.

Ningi said, “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.”

Ningi’s intervention was adopted and passed by the Senate, as Akpabio too agreed that it was important to hear the views of the security heads.

Recall that US Congressman, Scott Perry, had recently alleged that USAID terrorist organisations, including Boko Haram.

Perry, who is a Republican representing Pennsylvania, was speaking during the inaugural hearing of the Subcommittee on Delivering on Government Efficiency.

The setting, which was looking at the misuse of funds and taxes, had the title, “The War on Waste: Stamping Out the Scourge of Improper Payments and Fraud.”

Perry stated, “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.

The issue received immediate global attention, especially in Africa and other less-developed nations, including Nigeria that receives aid from USAID.

Nigeria has battled Boko Haram since 2009, leading to the displacement of over 2.5million people and thousands of lives lost, particularly in the Northeast States of Borno and Yobe.

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