The US government has initiated an investigation into the utilization of past foreign aid allocated to Nigeria and other countries. This move follows US President Donald Trump’s decision on January 20, 2025, to suspend all foreign aid for 90 days, citing concerns about global destabilization and misalignment with American interests.

The investigation is a response to growing calls for a comprehensive review of US Agency for International Development (USAID) health funds. Republican Representative Scott Perry from Pennsylvania recently alleged that USAID funds had been misused, citing a staggering $697 million annual expenditure that may have ended up funding terrorist organizations, including Boko Haram, ISIS, and Al-Qaeda.

Perry

“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 during the inaugural hearing of the Subcommittee on Delivering on Government Efficiency.

In response to these allegations, the US Mission to Nigeria confirmed that monitoring systems are in place to track past assistance provided by the US government. The mission also strongly condemned the ongoing violence and loss of life caused by Boko Haram in Nigeria.

“Comprehensive monitoring and evaluation systems are in place to help verify that U.S. assistance reaches intended recipients. The United States condemns the violence and blatant disregard for human life perpetrated by Boko Haram and other terrorist groups in Nigeria and the region,” the US Mission stated.

The US government has designated Boko Haram as a Foreign Terrorist Organization since November 14, 2013, and continues to work with Nigeria and regional partners to counter terrorism.