Obama’s Bloody Hands: The U.S. Role in Nigeria’s Crisis and USAID’s Funding of Terrorists
USAID dollars hard at work in Nigeria?
By US Mayor Mike Arnold
For more than a decade, Nigeria has endured one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises—millions displaced, thousands killed, and Christian communities wiped off the map. The country’s Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), most of them women and children, live in squalid camps, forgotten by the world. What remains unknown to most is that this was not an inevitable tragedy—it was engineered.
Under President Barack Obama, U.S. policy deliberately weakened Nigeria, enabling Boko Haram to grow from a regional threat into one of the deadliest terrorist groups on earth. Even as Boko Haram bombed churches, schools, and the United Nations headquarters in Abuja, Obama’s State Department refused to classify the group as a terrorist organization for years. When Nigeria’s military begged for help, Obama blocked arms sales, pressured allies to do the same, and left Nigeria defenseless.
The result was catastrophic: entire communities were erased, and millions of Christians were driven into IDP camps, where many remain more than a decade later. But the betrayal didn’t end there.
USAID—an agency meant to provide humanitarian aid—has now been revealed as a key player in funding terrorist groups in Nigeria, including Boko Haram and affiliated jihadist factions. U.S. Congressman Scott Perry recently exposed USAID’s role in financing these groups, confirming what those on the ground have suspected for years: the U.S. is complicit in Nigeria’s destruction.
The crisis is not ancient history. Under President Joe Biden, Nigeria was removed from the U.S. Religious Persecution Watchlist, despite being the deadliest country in the world for Christians. Biden’s administration buried the ongoing genocide, cutting off what little international scrutiny remained and ensuring the suffering continues.
The Rise of Boko Haram: A Deliberate U.S. Failure
Boko Haram’s rise was not inevitable. The Nigerian government had repeatedly warned the international community about the group’s growing strength and ties to Al-Qaeda. Yet, despite mounting evidence and escalating attacks, Obama’s State Department refused to designate Boko Haram as a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO).
In 2011, Boko Haram bombed the United Nations headquarters in Abuja, killing 23 people and injuring dozens more. It was the group’s boldest attack yet, and it sent a clear message: Boko Haram was no longer a local threat—it was part of a global jihadist network. Still, the U.S. refused to act.
It wasn’t until November 2013—after years of pressure from Congress—that the U.S. finally designated Boko Haram as a terrorist organization. By that point, Boko Haram had already expanded its territory, massacred thousands, and kidnapped hundreds of children. The delay in designation gave the group time to build its networks, secure funding, and grow into the monster it would become.
The Chibok Girls Betrayal: The Intel Obama Ignored
In April 2014, Boko Haram kidnapped 276 schoolgirls from Chibok, triggering global outrage and launching the #BringBackOurGirls campaign. World leaders, celebrities, and media outlets seized on the story, demanding their release. What the public didn’t know, however, was that the U.S. had real-time intelligence on the girls’ location—and refused to share it with Nigeria’s military.
According to investigative journalist Lara Logan on Fox Nation, the Obama administration had access to satellite surveillance of Boko Haram camps, where the girls were held. Despite multiple opportunities to assist, the U.S. government chose to withhold this crucial information, leaving the girls in captivity while political games played out. The #BringBackOurGirls campaign became a convenient distraction—a social media spectacle that allowed the U.S. to appear sympathetic while doing nothing to help.
The real objective, it seems, was to undermine President Goodluck Jonathan, paving the way for Muhammadu Buhari’s rise to power. Jonathan’s administration had faced criticism for its handling of the crisis, and the Chibok abduction became a political weapon for those seeking regime change.
Obama’s administration deliberately left the Nigerian government isolated, refusing to provide the military aid or intelligence necessary to rescue the girls.
How Buhari’s Presidency Deepened the Crisis
The 2015 Nigerian presidential election marked a turning point in the country’s history—and not for the better. With U.S. backing, Muhammadu Buhari, a former military dictator, defeated incumbent President Goodluck Jonathan.
Buhari’s rise to power was no accident. David Axelrod, Obama’s top political strategist, was hired to run Buhari’s campaign, rebranding him as a “reformer” despite his history of authoritarian rule and ties to Islamist factions. The U.S. State Department applied enormous pressure on Jonathan to step aside, even as Nigeria’s security situation deteriorated.
Once in office, Buhari purged Nigeria’s military leadership, weakening the country’s defenses and leaving it vulnerable to terrorist attacks. Under his administration:
Fulani militants expanded their attacks on Christian villages, driving thousands from their homes.
Boko Haram continued to operate with near impunity, solidifying its control over large swaths of territory.
The humanitarian crisis worsened, with millions of Nigerians forced into IDP camps.
Buhari’s government did little to protect Christian communities, and Western media largely ignored the atrocities unfolding in Nigeria.
The USAID Connection: Funding Terror in Plain Sight
In what should be one of the most shocking revelations in recent history, U.S. Congressman Scott Perry exposed USAID’s role in channeling funds to terrorist organizations in Nigeria, including Boko Haram. What was once speculation has now been confirmed: the very agency tasked with providing humanitarian aid was funding the same groups responsible for the suffering.
Reports from multiple investigations revealed that USAID money was funneled to organizations with direct links to Boko Haram and other jihadist factions. The full extent of the funding remains unclear, but what is known is devastating:
Millions of U.S. taxpayer dollars were used to prop up the same groups responsible for massacring Christians and destabilizing Nigeria.
USAID’s lack of oversight allowed these funds to flow freely, even after concerns were raised internally.
This was not an isolated incident. USAID has a history of financial mismanagement and questionable affiliations. According to White House sources, hundreds of thousands of dollars were granted to non-profits linked to designated terrorist organizations, even after internal investigations were launched (White House Fact Sheet).
The Blood Minerals Trade: Who Profits from Nigeria’s Suffering?
Behind the violence and humanitarian disaster lies an undeniable truth: Nigeria’s wealth of natural resources—particularly rare earth minerals—has become a curse. The illegal extraction and smuggling of these resources have fueled terror networks, providing a steady stream of funding for Boko Haram and Fulani militants.
China plays a significant role in this dark economy. Terrorist groups seize control of mining sites, driving out local populations and smuggling minerals to international buyers, primarily in China. These minerals, essential for modern technology, are sold at a fraction of their market value, creating vast profits for foreign entities while leaving Nigeria in ruins.
Western governments, well aware of this black-market trade, have chosen silence over intervention. Why? Because destabilization benefits those who want cheap access to resources. As long as Nigeria remains in chaos, the illegal trade can continue unabated, enriching the powerful at the expense of the Nigerian people.
Meanwhile, millions of displaced Nigerians rot in IDP camps, forgotten by the world. These camps, filled with women and children who fled unspeakable violence, are a stark reminder of the consequences of unchecked greed and international complicity.
Biden’s Final Betrayal: Removing Nigeria from the Religious Persecution Watchlist
If Obama’s policies set the fire, Biden’s administration poured gasoline on it. In 2021, Nigeria was inexplicably removed from the U.S. Religious Persecution Watchlist, despite remaining the deadliest country in the world for Christians.
This move effectively buried Nigeria’s crisis, cutting off international scrutiny and removing one of the few remaining forms of accountability. Christian advocacy groups were outraged. How could the U.S. ignore a genocide that was happening in plain sight?
By delisting Nigeria, Biden’s administration sent a clear message: the suffering of Nigerian Christians does not matter.
Conclusion: The Case for Justice and Accountability
Every displaced Nigerian, every widow, every orphan left in the ruins of Boko Haram’s terror is a direct casualty of U.S. policies and international complicity.
✔ Obama’s administration empowered Boko Haram by refusing to act.
✔ U.S.-backed regime change brought Muhammadu Buhari to power, leaving Christian communities defenseless.
✔ USAID funneled money to the very groups responsible for genocide and terror.
✔ Biden’s administration removed Nigeria from the Religious Persecution Watchlist, silencing the victims.
This was not a series of mistakes. It was a policy choice.
The Nigerian people deserve justice. The world must acknowledge the truth, hold the perpetrators accountable, and demand action to end this cycle of violence and betrayal.
The time for silence is over. Nigeria’s story must be told, and the people responsible must be exposed.
✨ Help Us Shine a Light on the Truth ✨
The World Deserves to Know What Really Happened in Nigeria.
For 5 years, we’ve traveled to the heart of Nigeria’s crisis—from IDP camps to the halls of power—documenting the untold stories and the incredible people who are bringing hope in the darkest places.
Join us in finishing this important film. Together, we can tell the world the truth and help bring justice.
