Boko Haram and Houthis ‘pocketing millions in UK aid each year’ | UK | News
Militant groups such as Hamas, Houthis and Boko Haram have allegedly siphoned millions of pounds from Britain’s aid schemes designed to help those living in war-torn areas, according to a national security think tank, the Daily Mail reports.
The Henry Jackson Society (HJS) warns that the Cash and Voucher Assistance (CVA) scheme is highly vulnerable to abuse, describing it as “Britain’s biggest hidden benefits scandal”. Although the UK Government does not disclose how much of Britain’s aid budget is distributed in cash, HJS analysis shows the UK will distribute between £225-310 million in cash aid in 2024.
Although not all of this money fell into the hands of militants, it is thought that a significant part of it was seized by terrorist organizations.
Militants control markets, money changers and supply chains in war zones
In many war-torn areas, militants often control markets, money changers, supply chains and checkpoints. As a result, any cash injected into these systems becomes a direct revenue stream for these groups.
‘Britain’s biggest secret aid scandal,’ says report’s author
Andrew Fox, HJS senior research fellow and author of the ‘Cash for Terrorism’ report, said: “This is Britain’s biggest secret aid scandal. We distribute up to £300 million of cash a year and it is funneled by militants before it reaches civilians in places like Gaza, Yemen and Nigeria.”
The report reveals that Hamas-linked money changers received 20-40 percent of the $42.5 million in aid pumped into Gaza in recent weeks. Civilians are even being forced to retrieve stolen aid from Hamas-run markets in the strip.
According to the report, more than 10 percent of food aid was stolen in Yemen, which received $161 million in aid vouchers last year, while the Houthis were imposing taxes on traders. In Nigeria, which received approximately $284 million in aid vouchers, militant groups such as Boko Haram earn cash by taxing fish, livestock, farms and transportation.
UK calls for suspension of aid to areas under the control of banned terrorist groups
HJS called for greater transparency on the UK’s spending on cash aid and demanded audits in war zones. He also called for a suspension of aid to areas under the control of banned terrorist groups and called on the UN and NGOs to tighten their control or risk losing funding.
A State Department spokesman said: “We completely reject the findings of this report. We conduct a thorough review of all aid partners and programs to ensure the money is spent as intended.” he said.
