United States Congressman, Scott Perry, Republican, representing Pennsylvania, has alleged that the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), a major U.S. government aid agency, provided funding to terrorist organisations, including the notorious extremist group Boko Haram in Nigeria.
Perry made this controversial claim during the inaugural hearing of the Subcommittee on Delivering on Government Efficiency, held on Thursday.
“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.
“If you think that the programme under Operation Enduring Sentinel entitled Women’s Scholarship Endowment, which receives $60 million annually, or the Young Women Lead, which gets about $5 million annually, is going to women who, by the way, if you read the Inspector General’s report, is telling you that the Taliban does not allow women to speak in public. Yet somehow you’re believing, and American people are supposed to believe, that this money is going for the better and betterment of the women in Afghanistan. It is not.
“You are funding terrorism and it’s coming through USAID.
And it’s not just Afghanistan. Because Pakistan’s right next door. USAID spent $840 million in the last 20 years on Pakistan’s education-related programme. It includes $136 million to build 120 schools, of which there is zero evidence that any of them were built. Why would there be any evidence?
“The Inspector General can’t get in to see them. But you know what?We doubled down and spent $20 million from USAID to create educational television programmes for children unable to attend the physical school. Yeah, they can’t attend it because it doesn’t exist. Somebody else got the money.
“You are paying for terrorism. This has got to end. I yield, Mr Chairman,” he added.
Scott Perry, US Congressman claims USAID funded ISIS, Al-Qaeda, Boko Haram, ISIS Khorasan, Taliban, etc… pic.twitter.com/lxeks22V18
— Converseer (@converseernews) February 14, 2025
The congressman did not provide specific details or evidence to substantiate his allegations during the hearing, leaving room for further scrutiny and clarification. USAID, which is primarily tasked with administering civilian foreign aid and development assistance, has long been involved in initiatives aimed at promoting global health, economic development, and humanitarian relief. The agency has not yet publicly responded to Perry’s claims.
Boko Haram, a militant Islamist group based in Nigeria, has been responsible for widespread violence, including bombings, kidnappings, and attacks on civilians, particularly in the Lake Chad region. The group has been designated as a terrorist organisation by the United States and other countries. Perry’s assertion, if proven true, could have significant implications for U.S. foreign policy and its counter-terroCounter-terror nrism efforts.
However, without concrete evidence, the claim remains unverified and has sparked debate among policymakers and experts.