By Mercy Aikoye
The Nigerian intelligence community has appealed for a supplementary budget to ensure timely and speedy response to national security issues.
Permanent Secretary, Special Services, Office of National Security Adviser (ONSA), Mohammed Sanusi made the appeal during a budget defence session before the House of Representatives Committee on National Security and Intelligence.
Sanusi stressed that no nation can grow without adequate security, highlighting the need for enhanced funding.
“I wish to state and reiterate to the Distinguished Members that the Intelligence Community always assured this Committee and the entire National Assembly of its commitment to transparency, accountability and effective resource management,” he said.
The intelligence community’s key focus areas for 2026 include combatting terrorism, banditry, and kidnapping, securing critical infrastructure, and enhancing cybersecurity.
Sanusi noted that these objectives align with President Bola Tinubu’s declaration of a State of Emergency on National Security.
However, Sanusi lamented that funding constraints have hindered the intelligence community’s efforts. “The envelop system of budgeting has constituted a lot of constraint in terms of resources allocation to the Intelligence Community,” he said.
Chairman of the House Committee on National Security and Intelligence, Hon. Ahmad Satomi, described the allocation for the intelligence sub-sector as “abysmal”.
“The intelligence subsector is allocated a total of N664,119,740 for their Personnel, overhead and Capital Expenditures in 2026,” he said.
Satomi appealed to President Tinubu to increase funding for the intelligence sector.
“This Committee is making a passionate appeal to our dear president to please look into the funding of the agencies in the intelligence sector, enhance them and prioritise them,” he said.
Satomi emphasized that oversight is not antagonism, but rather a means to ensure transparency and accountability. “Oversight does not mean antagonism, hostility or witch hunts but rather it helps to get the Nigerian people participate in security governance through its elected representatives,” he said.
The House of Representatives is committed to supporting the intelligence sector, Satomi assured.
“Our institutional efforts to deliver a safe, secured and conducive country which Nigerians and foreign residents are proud to live in and carry out their legitimate businesses should be collaborative and complimentary,” he said.
