Written by Matthew Evans.
A damning report has thrust the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) into the spotlight, alleging that its funds have fueled Islamic terrorist groups like Boko Haram, enabling a relentless campaign of violence against Christians in Nigeria. Unveiled on February 19, 2025, these claims, spearheaded by Nigerian politician Adamu Garba, paint a grim picture of U.S. taxpayer dollars arming militants responsible for mass killings and displacement. For Americans who view foreign aid as a tool for good, this revelation challenges long-held assumptions about its impact abroad.
Allegations of USAID Funding Terrorism in Nigeria
Adamu Garba, a vocal Nigerian figure, has leveled serious accusations against USAID, asserting that the agency has funneled money to terrorist factions such as Boko Haram and the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP). In a video posted to his X account, he declared, “The exposé about USAID has confirmed that Boko Haram and all these terrorists are getting their weapons through the funding from USAID.” Garba contends that this financial support has directly enabled the purchase of arms used to slaughter Christians across Nigeria’s northeast.
Boko Haram, often masquerading as Fulani herdsmen, has waged a brutal insurgency for over a decade, torching villages, murdering men, and abducting women and children. The scale of devastation is staggering—hundreds of thousands displaced, countless lives lost. Garba’s charge suggests that U.S. aid, intended to bolster child welfare and education, instead bankrolled this carnage. For a farmer in Borno State, whose family fled a midnight raid, the idea that foreign funds aided his tormentors would be a bitter pill to swallow.
These claims find an echo in U.S. Congressman Scott Perry’s remarks during a February 12, 2025, hearing on government waste. Perry alleged that USAID misdirected $697 million to terrorist groups, citing a case where $136 million earmarked for Pakistani schools vanished. Garba similarly questioned the fate of $824 million allocated to Nigeria in 2024, asking, “When did the money come in, where did it go to?” His pointed inquiry underscores a central issue: transparency in aid distribution remains woefully inadequate.
The Human Toll and Corruption’s Reach
The violence Garba links to USAID funding has decimated Nigeria’s Christian communities. Over the years, Boko Haram’s attacks have razed churches, schools, and homes, leaving survivors to rebuild amid constant fear. In 2018 alone, more than 500 people perished, and over 300,000 fled their homes, a toll that reflects only a fraction of the ongoing crisis. Women and girls, often kidnapped and subjected to horrific abuse, bear scars that may never heal—testament to a genocide Garba insists was partly underwritten by American dollars.
Beyond Nigeria, Garba frames USAID as a cog in a larger machine of exploitation. He accuses the agency of operating as a “dark money” conduit, laundering funds for global elites who collude with African leaders to destabilize the continent. “More is going to be released among the African elites, most of them in collaboration with criminals to destroy our land,” he warned. This systemic corruption, he argues, transcends borders, perpetuating violence from Somalia to the Sahel under the guise of humanitarian aid.
For the average U.S. taxpayer, this narrative stings. Imagine a teacher in Ohio, diligently paying taxes, only to learn her contributions might have armed militants halfway across the world. Garba’s allegations suggest a betrayal of USAID’s mission—to foster development and stability—casting it instead as an unwitting or complicit player in Nigeria’s tragedy.
A Glimmer of Hope Amid Accountability Calls
Garba pins his optimism on former President Donald Trump, whose administration has vowed to tackle global corruption. “Trump is exposing the entire global corruption network, and this is just the tip of the iceberg,” he proclaimed, suggesting that a renewed U.S. focus could curb terrorism in Africa. He referenced a Somali outlet, Daljir Media, which speculated that Trump’s leadership might shift foreign policy away from influences like British intelligence, long criticized for meddling in African affairs.
The Trump administration’s Department of Government Efficiency, led by Elon Musk, has already claimed billions in savings by slashing wasteful spending—a model Garba hopes will extend to USAID. Yet, the road to reform is fraught. Reining in an agency with a multi-billion-dollar budget demands meticulous oversight, a task complicated by entrenched interests and geopolitical stakes. Still, Garba insists that exposure is the first step: “They are soon going to be exposed, and we will reclaim our country and continent.”
This optimism contrasts with the immediate reality for Nigerian Christians, who face daily threats regardless of political promises. Accountability, if achieved, could stem the flow of misdirected funds, but reversing years of damage requires more than rhetoric—it demands action. Garba’s faith in Trump offers a lifeline, yet its realization remains uncertain.
Our Take
The allegations that USAID funded genocide against Nigerian Christians are as shocking as they are sobering, thrusting a spotlight on an agency meant to uplift rather than destroy. Garba’s claims, bolstered by Perry’s findings, paint a damning picture of mismanagement—if not outright malfeasance—that demands a thorough investigation. If even a fraction of these funds reached Boko Haram, the implications for U.S. foreign policy are profound, eroding trust in aid as a force for good. The human cost—lives lost, communities shattered—stands as a stark rebuke to any system that fails its beneficiaries.
Yet, skepticism is warranted. Garba’s assertions, while compelling, lack concrete evidence in the public domain, and USAID’s sprawling operations make pinpointing culpability a Herculean task. Trump’s anti-corruption push could shift the tide, as Garba hopes, but bureaucratic inertia and international complexities may blunt its impact. For Nigeria’s Christians, the promise of accountability offers little solace amid ongoing terror. This exposé, if substantiated, could reshape aid policy—but until then, it’s a call to vigilance, not a verdict.
