The Chairman of the House Committee on National Security and Intelligence, Hon. Ahmad Satomi, on Wednesday expressed concern over what he described as inadequate funding for the intelligence subsector in the proposed ₦58.18 trillion 2026 budget during a defence session with agencies under the committee’s jurisdiction.
President Bola Tinubu had presented the 2026 Appropriation Bill, titled “Budget of Consolidation, Renewed Resilience, and Shared Prosperity,” to the National Assembly on December 19, 2025, with ₦5.41 trillion allocated to defence and security, ₦3.56 trillion to infrastructure, ₦3.52 trillion to education, and ₦2.48 trillion to health.
Satomi stressed that national security remains the bedrock of economic growth and stability, citing Section 14(2)(b) of the 1999 Constitution, which states that the security and welfare of the people shall be the primary purpose of government.
He reminded security and intelligence agencies that the National Assembly is constitutionally empowered under Sections 4, 60, 62, 80, 81, 88, 89, and 218 of the Constitution to make laws and conduct oversight, noting that oversight should not be misconstrued as interference or hostility.
According to him, effective oversight enhances transparency, accountability, and value for money and helps build public trust in the security architecture while strengthening collaboration between the executive and legislature.
The lawmaker, however, observed that the intelligence community, comprising the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) and its centres, the Department of State Services (DSS), the National Intelligence Agency (NIA), the National Institute for Security Studies (NISS), and the Presidential Air Fleet (PAF), is allocated ₦664.1 billion in 2026 for personnel, overhead, and capital expenditure.
He noted that the breakdown shows ₦245.94 billion for personnel, ₦131.27 billion for overhead, and ₦286.90 billion for capital projects, describing the allocation as abysmal and inconsistent with the President’s strong commitment to resetting the national security architecture.
Satomi also decried irregular releases and non-implementation of overhead and capital allocations in the 2025 budget, warning that such funding gaps undermine operational efficiency and national security outcomes.
In his presentation, the Permanent Secretary, Special Services, Office of the National Security Adviser, Mohammed Sanusi, listed priority areas for 2026 to include combating terrorism, banditry and kidnapping
Other areas of priority he noted include securing critical infrastructure, enhancing oil and gas asset protection, strengthening maritime and border security, boosting cybersecurity, and tackling transnational crimes and the proliferation of small arms.
While appealing for improved funding and possible supplementary allocation, both the committee and intelligence leadership pledged stronger collaboration to ensure accountability, measurable results, and a safer, more secure Nigeria in 2026.
Leave a Reply