Senator Ali Ndume, who represents Borno South Senatorial District has asked the Federal Government to probe a claim by US Congressman Scott Perry that aborted United States Agency for International Development (USAID) funded terrorist organisations, including Boko Haram.

You can’t say it’s just an allegation; it’s more than that,” the former Chairman of the Senate Committee on Army said on Channels Television’s Sunday Politics programme.

“That’s why the Nigerian government and the National Assembly, especially, need to look into it to investigate and verify the veracity of such a very weighty allegation.”

The lawmaker, who has been in the National Assembly for more than 20 unbroken years, said the Nigerian government should be interested in the US congressman’s revelation, considering that there had been suspicions that foreign humanitarian agencies operating in Nigeria’s insurgent-ridded North-East zone sponsored terrorist activities.

Ndume said, “This development is very worrisome, especially because one of the terrorist organisations mentioned by Scott Perry is Boko Haram, and Boko Haram has ravaged not only the North-East but even (other parts of) Nigeria.

“You can remember Boko Haram bombed the police headquarters and the UN office in Abuja, and the casualties were enormous. So, the Nigerian government must be interested.

“I’m worried, but the Nigerian security agencies have raised this indirectly several times. Even the Borno State government was wary of the operations of the NGOs.

“I remember during the period of (Lieutenant General Tukur) Buratai, the Nigerian Army got intelligence and even raided the office of USAID or United Nations in Maiduguri. There was also a time when the governor got intelligence and security agencies raided one NGO that was providing training to some of their staff on how to use guns.

After four days in captivity following his abduction by gunmen on the Elele-Isiokpo road in the Ikwerre Local Government Area of Rivers State, Rev. Father Livinus Maurice and two others have been liberated.

Father Maurice, who is the parish priest at St. Patrick’s Catholic Church in Isiokpo, was taken while returning from a hospital visit last Wednesday, alongside two individuals whose identities have not been confirmed.

In the wake of the abduction, the Catholic Diocese of Port Harcourt, representing Bishop Bernadine Anaele, issued a statement urging for the immediate and unconditional release of the priest.

The spokesperson for the State Police Command, Grace Iringe-Koko, confirmed their release in a statement issued in Port Harcourt on Sunday.

Iringe-Koko said a police manhunt led to the successful release of the priest and the two others.

She stated that they were freed at about 6:30 am on Sunday due to pressure from a combined security team, including police officers, soldiers from the Joint Task Force, and local vigilantes.

The statement read: “Please be informed that today, February 16, 2025, at about 06:30 hrs, information was received that the kidnapped victims, Rev. Father Livinus Maurice and others, have been released by their captors.

“Their release followed pressure from a combined security team comprising police officers, soldiers from the Joint Task Force in Isiokpo, and local vigilantes.

“The victims have been reunited with their families for medical attention, while efforts are ongoing to arrest the culprits.”

Nigeria has strongly opposed a proposal to restructure the African Union’s Department of Political Affairs, Peace, and Security (PAPS), warning that such a move could lead to unnecessary expenditures and disrupt ongoing peace and security efforts across the continent.

Speaking at the 38th Ordinary Session of the AU Assembly of Heads of State and Government, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, whose statement was delivered by Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Yusuf Tuggar, reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to meaningful AU reforms but rejected the bid to create a new department separate from PAPS.

According to a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, the President said “we do not support the proposal to reconfigure the Department of Political Affairs, Peace and Security (PAPS). The reconfiguration in the way currently suggested will only lead us to incur more expenditure needlessly.

“We already have a Peace Support Operations Directorate (SOD) under PAPS, and creating a separate department would be counterproductive,” President Tinubu stated.

While opposing the proposed restructuring of PAPS, Nigeria reaffirmed its strong support for AU reforms aimed at making the continental body more vibrant, responsive, and efficient in addressing Africa’s pressing political and economic challenges.

President Tinubu commended President Paul Kagame of Rwanda and President William Ruto of Kenya for their leadership in advancing AU reform proposals and backed the establishment of a Heads of State and Government Oversight Committee on AU reforms under President Ruto’s leadership.

Nigeria also endorsed the proposal to streamline AU Summit agendas, limiting them to three strategic items to ensure a focused and effective decision-making process.

President Tinubu emphasized the importance of inclusiveness and transparency in the AU reform process, urging member states to prioritize the implementation of already adopted policies and programmes rather than rushing into contentious changes.

“Instead of seeking to reach consensus on all fronts of our reform at one sweep, we should concentrate on areas where we have already reached consensus. There is no harm in carrying out reform in phases,” he stated.

He warned against introducing reform proposals that had not been widely discussed among member states, stressing that Nigeria would only support changes that enhance efficiency without destabilizing the existing structure.

Nigeria’s firm stance on maintaining the structure of PAPS comes as its head, Nigerian diplomat Ambassador Bankole Adeoye, was re-elected for another term during the AU Summit.

President Tinubu assured that Nigeria remains fully committed to AU reforms that strengthen the continental body’s ability to address political, security, and economic challenges.

However, he cautioned that reforms must be transparent, well-planned, and avoid creating unnecessary bureaucratic hurdles.

“Nigeria will continue to support the reform process as long as it remains transparent, inclusive, and does not needlessly destabilize the status quo,” the President affirmed.