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Why the US supported Boko Haram – Bolaji Akinyemi *Says, UK, others complicit too
The need to stop Nigeria from become a success story and a super power, which could lead to the liberation of other African nations and the black man in general, is the reason countries like the US and other western nations would sponsor terrorist groups like Boko Haram, Bolaji Akinyemi, former Minister of External Affairs, said on Monday morning.
Akinyemi, who returned recently as the Chairman of the Governing Council of the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs (NIIA), a body which he once headed as Director General (DG), spoke against the backdrop of revelations by Scot Perry, US congressman, last week that Boko Haram, the terrorist group that had unleashed massive attacks on parts of Nigeria over the decades, leading to thousands of deaths and displacement of millions, actually got support from Washington
Perry, a Republican Senator, had during a congressional appearance, stated how the US under the Democratic government of former President, Barak Obama, sponsored the deadly group through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).
Stating that the Boko Haram got a share of the $697 million yearly funding from the aide agency, for the funding of terrorist organisations around the world including Afghanistan where US soldiers fought a futile war before withdrawing in 2021, the lawmaker had warned about the implication of sustaining the practice of using US tax-payers money to promote such immoral operations.
But adding flesh to the exposé, Akinyemi, a guest on The Morning Show, a breakfast programme on ARISE NEWS, told his host that such acts were not new as history was replete with many more examples in Africa and Nigeria, pointing out how the British colonial masters deliberately manipulated the handover of power in the country to ensure that it remained comatose in terms of development.
Hear him: “Nigeria had been a target before we even became independent and that’s why even the British arranged the handing over power to, if you like, the least developed part of Nigeria and picked an elite that they think they can control. That is even before we became independent. As far back as 1945, the British had decided who they would hand over power to and it’s not the Azikiwes or the Awolowos or the Mbadiwes or the Okparas that they picked upon because they knew they couldn’t control those people.
“So, to that extent, they learnt their lesson when India under Jawaharlal Nehru managed to escape their control. They learnt their lesson that from then on, any of their colonies that is going to become independent, they have to ensure that the person they’re handing over power to is the person they can control so that they can continue to control those countries and Nigeria had been a target.”
Speaking to the Boko Haram agenda, the top diplomat and scholar, said: “I served on the Boko Haram committee and villagers kept telling us that in the middle of the night, helicopters piloted by white people kept landing and offloading guns, goods and all kinds of things and money to these people.
“The villagers don’t even know who these white people are and they have no reason to lie to us. Some of us on the Boko Haram committee made a mistake. We thought it was the French that were doing this, now we have an American congressman who said ‘no, it was the Americans who were doing this.’ And when you add that to the Obama administration refusing to sell weapons to Nigeria on the grounds that we had human rights violations in the way we were dealing with Boko Haram, not in the way we were dealing with ordinary Nigerians where there were no security issues.
“The villagers knew these were white people and we who were on that committee made the mistake of thinking they were French. But now, it is an American congressman who’s telling us that it was the Americans who did this. The villagers wouldn’t know French from Americans, from British. They just knew that these were white people. And they not only did that, they also penetrated our armed forces.
“Behind the scenes, our boys would tell us that there were times when they would have Boko Haram people in the sight of their guns and they would ask their headquarters for permission to open fire, only for their superior officers to tell them to pull back and not open fire. That shows the extent to which there was penetration and destabilisation of our own security forces.
“I believe it is Nigeria that they are trying to destabilise and use any agency that comes or that they can create. I attended a conference once in Washington and it came up that no country in the global north wants a black country to become a superpower because it will affect the domestic racial conundrum that they themselves are facing. It happened to Kwame Nkrumah. Recall what Mandela said, that until Nigeria makes it, there is no country with a black race that will make it in this world.”
The idea of blanket pardoning of terrorists instead of punishing them is a disservice to their victims, Christian Association of Nigerian Americans (CANAN), has said, urging the Federal Government to halt the programme which has since raised a lot of dust within the polity.
The group told reporters during a zoom meeting that reintegrating suspected terrorists into society without first putting them through the judicial process amounted to great injustice which should never be allowed to happen.
Dr James Fadel, and Banjo Olaniyan, President, and Executive Director of the body, while outlining its position on terrorism, religious freedom and security reforms, also reviewed the thinking of Enoch Adejare Adeboye, General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, Pastor, during the recent U.S.–Nigeria Faith Heroes Award in Washington, D.C. on the volatile security situation in Nigeria.
It said: “CANAN remains concerned about reports that some captured terrorist suspects have been reintegrated into society without transparent judicial processes.
“We respectfully urge the Federal Government to ensure that all persons accused of terrorism are handled in accordance with the rule of law. Justice must not only be done but must also be seen to be done. Upholding due process honours the memory of victims, strengthens public confidence in the justice system, and discourages future acts of violent extremism,” the association said.
Expressing excitement on some of the feats recorded by security operatives in recent times, the group, particularly commended them over the arrest of suspected commanders of Boko Haram and the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), saying those efforts should be followed by diligent prosecution in line with the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.
Hear the group: “Due process, accountability, and appropriate punishment for those found guilty are essential to justice for victims and to deterring future acts of terrorism.”
The association equally welcomed continued counterterrorism cooperation between Nigeria and the United States, saying every successful operation against terrorist groups strengthens hope for lasting peace, protects innocent lives and contributes to Nigeria’s stability and development.
On the proposed State Police, CANAN congratulated the National Assembly and President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for advancing constitutional reforms to establish the new policing structure, describing it as an important step in strengthening Nigeria’s security architecture.
It, however, urged the authorities to include credible civil society representatives in State Police oversight structures to promote transparency, accountability, public confidence and respect for human rights.
The briefing also drew attention to Pastor Adeboye’s message at the Faith Heroes Award, where he thanked the United States Government for supporting Nigeria’s counterterrorism efforts but stressed that the country still faced an uphill battle against terrorism.
Recalling Adeboye’s remarks, the association quoted him as saying: “While I deeply appreciate the support of the United States Government, the mission is far from over. Innocent Nigerians continue to be killed almost daily by terrorist groups.”
CANAN said the cleric also encouraged Nigerians in the diaspora to engage U.S. policymakers on the need for stronger American support for Nigeria’s counterterrorism campaign.
The cleric also said: “The administration should intensify efforts to identify, investigate, and bring to justice not only those who carry out terrorist attacks but also those who sponsor, finance, and benefit from terrorism.
“Dismantling the entire network behind terrorism is indispensable if Nigeria is to bring this menace to an end.”
The association said Adeboye also appealed to Christians across the country and everyone who values religious freedom to stand together against terrorism and violent extremism.
It noted that he expressed concern over attacks on Christian communities in Northern Nigeria, pointing out that the Redeemed Christian Church of God has more than 8,000 churches across the region.
CANAN further recalled Adeboye’s reflection on a time when Christians, Muslims and adherents of traditional religions lived peacefully together and freely practised their faith, saying he described the current wave of religious violence and intolerance as a departure from those ideals.
The association said it would continue to advocate justice, religious freedom, national unity and the protection of every Nigerian, regardless of faith or ethnicity.
“For the sake of the innocent victims, the displaced, and future generations, we will not keep silent. We will continue to work with governments, faith leaders, civil society organisations, and international partners to promote peace, defend human dignity, and support communities affected by terrorism,” the association said.
Nothing outside external intervention free from direct and indirect government influences, will assuage the feelings of Adeniyi Adeyemi, controversial Director General of the Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC), in his current ordeal with the Federal Government
He wants President Bola Tinubu to constitute an independent, multi-stakeholder investigative panel to probe the controversy surrounding the council and the alleged N1.3 billion budget allocation.
Adeyemi, who made the request through an open letter to the President is emphatic that the current efforts by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) to investigate the PFIPC scandal, would yield little positive result.
Maintaining that he did not believe the agency would come up with the true picture of what transpired, in the saga, which has seized the national space in the last three weeks, Adeyemi, said impartiality under the current framework of ICPC was almost zero.
In the letter copied to both Nigerian and global institutions, he wrote: “I commend your recent directive tasking the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) with investigating the circumstances surrounding the PFIPC Scandal and ₦1.3 billion allocation inserted into the 2026 Appropriation Bill.
“This directive is a vital first step, but the structural realities of this investigation compel me to speak out of a profound desire for absolute transparency.
“Under the current framework, obtaining a truly impartial hearing presents severe structural challenges. The public narrative emanating from official channels remains heavily weighted toward my immediate arrest, effectively overshadowing the gravity of the systemic vulnerabilities and high-level involvement I have brought to light. True accountability cannot be achieved when the agency conducting the investigation answers directly to the branch of government within which the core allegations lie.
“Furthermore, I must state clearly that walking freely into custody under the current arrangement poses an immediate, existential threat to my life. I have received verified, highly reliable intelligence indicating that I am targeted for elimination the moment I surface in an unmonitored environment.
“This is not an unfounded fear. My concerns are deeply validated by the highly alarming events surrounding Mr. Dolapo Babatunde Tanimola, a central intermediary in this matter.
Official reports claim Mr. Tanimola tragically died in a sudden fire incident at Kachi Hotel in Utako, Abuja. Yet, there remains a total absence of independent eyewitness or media verification of any such inferno.
“More disturbingly, under highly unclear circumstances and without the official involvement of any federal capital regulatory agency, the entire Kachi Hotel structure was swiftly invaded by unidentified armed actors and manually demolished down to the rubble days later — effectively erasing a vital physical crime scene and erasing material evidence.
“Following this calculated destruction of a key locus of this investigation, alongside multiple direct attempts on my life and the safety of my family, I am forced to communicate from a secure, undisclosed location.
“If this investigation is to command the absolute trust of the Nigerian public and the international community, it must transcend standard bureaucratic boundaries. Therefore, I respectfully urge Your Excellency to expand the scope of this inquiry by establishing an independent, multi-stakeholder investigative panel.
“To guarantee complete neutrality, this panel should comprise:
- Civil Society Organisations: Specifically Amnesty International, the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) and other transparency Organisations.
- The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA): To guarantee strict adherence to constitutional due process.
- Independent Media Representatives: Selected members from reputable print and broadcast institutions to ensure unfettered, transparent access to documentation.
- International Financial Observers: Representatives from the World Bank and the IMF, given that the funds in question tie directly to multilateral credit frameworks.
- Human Rights Observers: Amnesty International, to monitor compliance with international safety and legal standards.
- Diplomatic Observers: Representatives from the United Nations, United States, the United Kingdom, the European Union, ECOWAS and the African Union.
- Statutory Enforcement: The ICPC and EFCC, serving as technical partners within this broader, independent coalition.
“The moment this independent, multi-stakeholder panel is constituted, I will immediately step forward to present comprehensive documentation and verifiable evidences. A system cannot credibly investigate itself when its own key actors are central to the discourse.
“By broadening this panel, you will demonstrate to the world that your administration’s commitment to anti-corruption is absolute, institutional, and above palace politics. The international community is closely watching how Nigeria handles this test of fiscal integrity and governance.
“I remain fully prepared to present the facts and cooperate entirely with a balanced, secure and independent panel.”
All is now set for the wholesome debate on President Bola Tinubu’s proposal for the creation of state police, with members of the House of Representatives, abandoning their own version of the pitch in favour of that of the executive.
The development, which was part of Tuesday’s plenary, saw the members began an accelerated hearing on the version of the legislation submitted by the President recently, leading to its speedily racing through the first and second readings to rest at the committee stage.
After the Green Chambers adopted the presidential version, effectively suspending the House’s earlier proposal, and attention shifted to the Executive-backed amendment, the document was transported to the House Committee on Constitutional Review for further legislative action.
The Executive bill is expected to undergo detailed scrutiny at the committee stage, where lawmakers will examine its key provisions before it is returned to the floor for further consideration.
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