The U.S. Ambassador to Nigeria, Richard Mills Jr., has disputed links between the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and Boko Haram.
Shortly after his presentation at the Nigerian Governors’ Forum (NGF) meeting on Wednesday night in Abuja, Mills told journalists that no evidence shows USAID funded the terrorist group.
He challenged anyone with evidence of misappropriation to present it, saying it would be thoroughly investigated in collaboration with Nigerian partners.
The ambassador restated his country’s commitment to Nigeria and its efforts to combat Boko Haram’s violence.
“There’s no friend of Nigeria that has been stronger in its condemnation of the violence of Boko Haram and Boko Haram’s contempt for human life than the United States,” he said.
“We labeled Boko Haram since 2013 a foreign terrorist organization, a designation that was designed to block Boko Haram from carrying out any asset transfers to the United States.”
He also clarified that the US has not cut its financial aid to Nigeria but put in a 90-day pause.
