By Ubong Ukpong, Abuja

House of Representatives Committee on National Security and Intelligence yesterday warned against undermining the nation’s intelligence by continuing to allocate paltry sums to the sector in the budgets.

The committee therefore asked President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to direct the Minister of Finance to ensure full releases of the 2024 capital allocation to the security and intelligence sector in the overall interest of the nation’s security.

Speaking at the budget defence session of agencies under the office of the National Security Adviser, Chairman of the Committee, Ahmed Satomi (APC, Borno) said it was regrettable that capital allocation to some of the intelligence agencies had not been released, while releases to others have not been encouraging.

Satomi said even though there was an appreciable allocation to the security sector, the intelligence subsector has been grossly underfunded , adding that the committee will look for ways to ensure an increase in the budget to  the sector.

Agencies at the budget defence include the Officer of the National Security Adviser, Directorate of State Services, National Intelligence Agency, Presidential Air Fleets, 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 emphasized the importance of collective efforts in ensuring the security and welfare of Nigerian citizens, adding that the committee’s oversight jurisdiction encompasses critical agencies that play vital role in maintaining national security.

According to him, it was the duty of everyone to ensure that they are adequately equipped to discharge their mandates in a responsible and accountable manner.

He recalled that the President presented the 2025 budget of N49.7 trillion to a joint session of the National Assembly with expected revenue of N36.35 trillion and a budget deficit of N13.39 trillion.

While commending the President for allocating about N4.91 trillion to the Defence and Security sector thus underscoring the priority accorded to security in the 2025 Budget, he lamented that the intelligence subsector appears grossly underfunded.

According to him, the intelligence subsector was allocated N595,024,943,368 billion out of which proposed capital expenditure allocation is N274,550,298,453.00, overhead allocation receiving N107,963,187,783 while personnel cost got N212,511,457,132 billion

He said “It is imperative to note that the 2025 Budget is christened the “Budget of Restoration: Securing Peace, Rebuilding Prosperity.” Securing peace presupposes that a lot of engagements with citizens will be undertaken by the government at all levels.

“Deradicalization, disarmament, rehabilitation and reintegration programs etc will have to be carried out as a major non kinetic initiative by the Federal government of Nigeria in collaboration with other tiers of government.

“It is therefore not encouraging to observe that the frontline agencies saddled with statutory responsibilities of countering violent extremism, terrorism, ‘illicit flow of small arms and light weapons, intelligence gathering and analysis, maintenance of national security and ensuring the provision of safe, secure and efficient air transportation for the President, Vice President and other notable government officials are negligibly funded.

“Going by the submissions before the committee, it is heart breaking that an agency like the National Centre for Counter Terrorism has not gotten any capital release for year 2023 and year 2024.

“The National Institute for Security Studies (NISS) and the National Centre for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons (NCCSSALW) are yet to receive a single kobo for their Capital projects in 2024. The Capital releases to the DSS and NIA are insufficient to motivate these agencies to work optimality in order to deliver on their critical mandates.

“I am therefore calling on the president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR to please intervene NOT just for an increase in the allocations to the agencies in the intelligence sector but to also direct the Minister of Finance to as a matter of national security, prioritize the full release of all outstanding 2024 Budget allocations to the intelligence agencies and sustain the practice of prompt releases to them going forward”.

He said the ultimate goal of the National Assembly is to enhance national security and promote the well being of citizens, assuring that the budget allocations will align with our national security objectives.

In his remarks, Permanent Secretary, Special Services in the Office of the National Security Adviser, Mohammed Sanusi Danjuma said the proposed budget is tailored towards addressing the evolving security challenges facing the nation, ensuring the effective coordination of security agencies, seamless intelligence gathering and information sharing, and other specialized services to enhance National Security.

He said the budget will enhance coordination and Collaboration by strengthening partnerships within security agencies to foster a more cohesive and responsive security architecture; enhance infrastructural development by improving existing operational facilities and equipment to support efficient service delivery and ensure capacity building and manpower development by upgrading the skills and expertise of personnel to address emerging security challenges.

He said, “It is worthy to note that the envelop system of budgeting provide a lot of constrain in terms of resources allocation to the community. However, despite this challenge the agencies try to strike a balance between their operational needs and the government’s fiscal constraints”.

He assured that of the commitment of the Intelligence Community to transparency, accountability and effective resource management by ensuring that the budgetary provisions align with the government’s overall security objectives.