VIDEO: US Congressman Scott Perry accuses USAID of funding Boko Haram under Obama, Biden

Chair of the House Freedom Caucus Rep. Scott Perry (R-PA) speaks during a news conference with members of the House Freedom Caucus at the U.S. Capitol November 29, 2023 in Washington, DC. [Getty Images]

A US congressman, Scott Perry, has alleged that the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) funded terrorist organisations, including Boko Haram.

Perry, a Republican from Pennsylvania, claimed on Thursday, February 13, during the inaugural hearing of the Subcommittee on Delivering on Government Efficiency.

The session, titled “The War on Waste: Stamping Out the Scourge of Improper Payments and Fraud,” examined allegations of misappropriation of taxpayer funds.

Perry asserted that USAID's financial activities have directly benefited terror groups worldwide, including Boko Haram, Al-Qaeda, and ISIS.

“Who gets some of that 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 stated.

Under Obama and Biden, USAID Was Funding Boko Haram-American Republican Congressman, Scott Perry pic.twitter.com/A2bt6kHXqz

He also raised concerns about USAID’s reported $136 million expenditure on 120 schools in Pakistan, claiming there is “zero evidence” that the schools were ever built.

“USAID spent $840 million in the last 20 years on Pakistan’s education-related programme, including $136 million to build 120 schools, of which there is zero evidence of construction,” he alleged.

“Why would there be any evidence? The Inspector General can’t get in to see them.”

READ ALSO: El-Rufai allegedly cancels overseas studies over fear of Trump’s crackdown

Perry criticised further USAID spending, including a $20 million allocation for educational television programmes for children in Pakistan, stating, “Yeah, they can’t attend it, because it doesn’t exist. You paid for it. Somebody else got the money. You are paying for terrorism. This has got to end.”

The allegations align with criticisms from former President Donald Trump, who previously called for the closure of USAID, citing corruption. In a post on his Truth Social platform, Trump accused the agency of mismanaging funds.

Billionaire Elon Musk, a Trump ally and the newly appointed head of the Department of Government Efficiency, also slammed USAID, claiming it engaged in “rogue CIA work.”

Musk further alleged that USAID funded bioweapon research, including COVID-19 studies that he claimed resulted in millions of deaths.T

he claims have sparked renewed scrutiny of USAID’s financial activities, although no formal investigation has been announced yet.

Subscribe to receive daily news updates.