Lawmakers Urge Immediate Release of Security Funds for 2025

The House of Representatives Committee on National Security and Intelligence has urged the Federal Government to release the full capital allocation for security agencies as outlined in the 2024 and 2025 budget estimates. Addressing security agencies during the 2025 budget defense, Committee Chairman Ahmed Satomi expressed concern that many intelligence agencies had not received their full capital allocations for 2024, with some, like the National Centre for Counter-Terrorism, receiving no funds at all.

Satomi stressed the importance of releasing these funds to ensure that security agencies can fulfill their constitutional duties effectively in the upcoming fiscal year. He noted that while the security sector’s budget had seen improvements in recent years, the intelligence sub-sector remained critically underfunded, limiting the agencies’ ability to perform at their best.

In particular, he pointed out that agencies such as the National Centre for Counter-Terrorism, the National Institute for Security Studies, and the National Centre for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons had not received any capital funding for 2024. Satomi called on President Bola Tinubu to intervene and ensure that the full 2024 budget allocations for intelligence agencies were released and that future funding is more promptly delivered.

“The intelligence sub-sector is crucial for maintaining national security, countering terrorism, and addressing issues like illicit arms flow,” Satomi said. “It’s troubling that agencies charged with these responsibilities are being neglected in terms of funding.”

The committee chairman also highlighted the need for comprehensive programs, such as deradicalization and disarmament initiatives, to tackle evolving security challenges. He emphasized that these programs require well-funded, coordinated efforts by security agencies, which is difficult to achieve without adequate financial support.

During the budget defense, representatives from key agencies, including the Directorate of State Services (DSS), the National Intelligence Agency (NIA), and the National Counter-Terrorism Centre, were present. Satomi reiterated that the committee would continue its oversight efforts to ensure that the security sector receives the resources necessary to protect Nigerians.

Praising President Tinubu for allocating N4.91 trillion to defense and security, Satomi called for an increased focus on the intelligence sub-sector in the 2025 budget, particularly for capital expenditures. “For peace and prosperity to be restored, we must prioritize intelligence operations and ensure the full release of all outstanding allocations,” he added.

In his remarks, the Permanent Secretary of the Special Services Office in the National Security Adviser’s Office, Mohammed Danjuma, assured that the 2025 budget aimed to address evolving security threats and improve inter-agency coordination. He acknowledged the challenges of resource allocation but reiterated the government’s commitment to empowering security agencies to effectively gather intelligence and maintain national security.