The House of Representatives Committee on National Security and Intelligence has called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to direct Finance Minister Wale Edun to release the 2024 capital allocation for intelligence agencies. Committee Chairman Ahmed Satomi expressed concerns during the budget defense session for agencies under the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), highlighting the underfunding of critical intelligence operations despite the government’s significant allocation to the security sector.
Satomi lamented that agencies like the National Centre for Counter-Terrorism and the National Institute for Security Studies (NISS) have not received any capital funding for 2023 or 2024. While praising President Tinubu’s “Budget of Restoration” for its focus on security, Satomi urged immediate and full capital releases to agencies like the Directorate of State Services (DSS) and the National Intelligence Agency (NIA), emphasizing the need for adequate funding to counter violent extremism, illicit arms flow, and other security threats.
The Permanent Secretary for Special Services, Mohammed Sanusi Danjuma, assured lawmakers that the proposed budget was designed to tackle Nigeria’s evolving security challenges. Additionally, DSS Director General Adeola Ajayi, represented by Dr. Patrick Eneji, highlighted the agency’s strides in deploying geospatial intelligence and data mining to enhance security. He noted advancements in big data analysis and open-source intelligence as essential for addressing complex national threats.
The committee underscored the need for collective action to ensure the welfare and safety of Nigerians. Satomi called for prompt budgetary interventions to enhance operational efficiency, while also advocating for sustainable funding practices to strengthen the intelligence subsector’s capacity to safeguard national security.
