… as lawmakers demand urgent action
By Gloria Ikibah
The House of Representatives has urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to instruct the Minister of Finance to fully release the 2024 capital allocation to the security and intelligence sector. This appeal was made in the interest of bolstering national security.
Chairman Committee on National Security and Intelligence, Rep. Ahmed Satomi expressed concern over the inadequate capital allocations to intelligence agencies, during a budget defense session for agencies under the Office of the National Security Adviser on Monday in Abuja.
While acknowledging the significant overall allocation to the security sector, he lamented the chronic underfunding of the intelligence subsector and promised that the Committee would explore avenues to increase its budget.
The session involved key agencies, including the Office of the National Security Adviser, Directorate of State Services (DSS), National Intelligence Agency (NIA), Presidential Air Fleet, National Centre for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons, National Institute for Security Studies (NISS), National Counter Terrorism Centre, and the National Cybercrimes Coordination Centre.
Satomi stressed the need for collective action to ensure the safety and welfare of Nigerians. He noted the Committee’s commitment to ensuring these critical agencies are adequately equipped to fulfill their mandates effectively and responsibly.
He commended President Tinubu’s presentation of the N49.7 trillion 2025 budget, for allallocating N4.91 trillion to the defense and security sector, which underscores the administration’s emphasis on secsecurity. He however, decried the insufficient funding allocated to intelligence.
Naijablitznews.com reports that the intelligence subsector received N595 billion, with N274.55 billion proposed for capital expenditure, N107.96 billion for overheads, and N212.51 billion for personnel costs, Rep. Satomi said that these figures fall short of the resources required to meet the sector’s critical needs.
He highlighted key concerns, including the lack of capital releases to the National Centre for Counter Terrorism, NISS, and the National Centre for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons. Similarly, the DSS and NIA face insufficient funding, hampering their ability to deliver on their mandates.
Satomi called on the President to not only increase allocations to intelligence agencies but also ensure the Finance Ministry prioritizes the full and timely release of budgeted funds. He described this as a matter of national security, critical to achieving peace and stability.
The Permanent Secretary for Special Services in the Office of the National Security Adviser, Mohammed Sanusi Danjuma, added that the proposed budget is designed to address evolving security challenges.
He highlighted plans to improve coordination among security agencies, enhance intelligence gathering, upgrade infrastructure, and build the capacity of personnel to tackle emerging threats.
Danjuma acknowledged the constraints imposed by the envelope system of budgeting but assured lawmakers of the intelligence community’s commitment to transparency, accountability, and effective resource management to align with national security objectives.