Author: Toyibat Ajose

The House of Representatives held a public hearing on Tuesday on a bill proposing the establishment of the Nigerian Security and Intelligence Trust Fund to provide alternative funding for security agencies, particularly the armed forces. The bill, sponsored by Ahmed Satomi, the representative for Jere Federal Constituency, Borno State, aims to strengthen Nigeria’s security and intelligence capabilities to better fulfil their constitutional duty of safeguarding lives and property. The hearing, held at the National Assembly Complex in Abuja, was opened by Speaker Tajudeen Abbas, alongside other federal lawmakers. In his address, Speaker Abbas highlighted security as a major challenge facing the nation. “We cannot overlook the loss of lives and resources caused by banditry, kidnapping, armed robbery, oil and mineral theft, and insurgency. These have discouraged investors and displaced many families, creating humanitarian crises. “They have also worsened food insecurity, as many farmers have abandoned their land. It is, therefore, crucial that we use legal measures to address these issues effectively,” he said. He urged participants to provide meaningful input, stating, “This public hearing allows the public to contribute towards shaping the Nigerian Security and Intelligence Trust Fund. “The Fund would improve the financing of security agencies, enhancing their intelligence-gathering, training, and equipment procurement, ultimately tackling security challenges at their roots.” However, Abbas warned against potential conflicts between the proposed legislation and existing laws. “As we navigate this process, we must consider existing security laws to ensure we do not create new problems by duplicating functions and roles. “I expect a thorough examination of the bill and recommendations to guide the House in its legislative duties,” he added. Funding Beyond the Budget Chairman of the House Committee on National Security and Intelligence, Ahmed Satomi, explained that the bill seeks to provide additional funding for security and intelligence efforts beyond regular budgetary provisions. “The Fund will support training and retraining of security personnel, procurement of state-of-the-art intelligence equipment, and development of infrastructure to enhance operational readiness. “It will also ensure the upgrade and maintenance of training institutions to global standards and allocate resources for research and development to keep our intelligence agencies on par with global counterparts,” he said. He emphasised that intelligence gathering, rather than a purely force-based approach, is key to overcoming terrorism and other security threats. In a separate media interview, Satomi criticised the inadequate funding of Nigeria’s security sector, noting that some universities in the United States and even smaller African nations allocate more to security than Nigeria. “For context, our entire national budget is smaller than that of the University of California, which stands at around $100 billion. “Even Angola and Egypt—countries smaller than Nigeria—allocate nearly twice what we do for security. “We must explore alternative funding mechanisms to enhance the capacity of our frontline officers in the armed forces and paramilitary agencies,” he added. Satomi stated that the bill proposes allocating one per cent of the Consolidated Revenue Fund to the Security Trust Fund. However, he noted that stakeholders opposed including public gifts and donations due to security sensitivities. He assured that, if passed into law, relevant committees in both chambers of the National Assembly would provide strict oversight to ensure the Fund is effectively managed in the best interest of Nigerians.