Executive Summary
In February 2025, Nigeria’s federal lawmakers launched an investigation into USAID’s activities in the North East following allegations that U.S. foreign aid may have inadvertently funded terrorist groups like Boko Haram. While the US Ambassador to Nigeria officially denies the claims, Nigeria’s military struggles to counter Boko Haram’s resilience, despite billions of dollars in international aid and military assistance.* [source, source]
Nevertheless, with U.S. military aid and Nigeria’s counterterrorism efforts, Boko Haram and its splinter groups, such as Islamic State – West Africa Province (ISWAP), continue to conduct deadly attacks. The Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF) has faced operational setbacks, struggling to hold liberated areas due to a lack of policing capacity.
*Boko Haram, officially known as Jama’atu Ahlis Sunna Lidda’awati wal-Jihad, continues to pose a significant threat in the Lake Chad Basin region, encompassing Nigeria, Chad, Cameroon, and Niger. Recent developments highlight the group’s persistent operational capabilities and the challenges faced by regional security forces in achieving lasting stability. Since 2009, Boko Haram has killed approximately 40,000 people, displaced over 2.5 million, and established a self-sustaining economy through extortion, smuggling, kidnappings, and control of trade routes. Reports reveal the group has leveraged international money laundering networks, including a Dubai-based financing ring, to move and hide funds.
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