. Slam MDAs for coming late to budget defence sessions, applaud security chiefs on punctuality
. As ONSA demands special funding to tackle insecurity
… Minister narrates how non-release of funds has affected justice sector reforms
IGNATIUS OKOROCHA, Abuja and JONAS EZIEKE, Abuja
Chairman, Senate Committee on National Security and Intelligence, Sen. Yahaya Abdullahi, on Wednesday decried envelope budgeting system for security and intelligence agencies.
Abdullahi expressed the concern when the Permanent Secretary, Special Services, Office of the National Security Adviser, Mohammed Sanusi, appeared before the committee for budget defence.
He said that the meeting was convened to examine the budgetary provisions that would fund the operations of the security and intelligence community for the 2026 financial year.
Abdullahi, while recalling that President Bola Tinubu recently declared a national emergency on security, said that the committee considered it necessary for budgetary allocations to the intelligence community.
“This is to ensure that it is commensurate with the challenges facing the nation,” he said.
The senator said that it was imperative for security agencies to perform optimally and address the myriads of increasing emerging security threatening national stability, adding that they needed to be properly funded.
“It is, however, disheartening to note that the security and intelligence agency’s budget is still subject to the vagaries of the envelope system of budgeting rather than on genuine needs and requirements,” he stated.
The lawmaker said that the non-release or partial release of capital funds allocated to security agencies in the 2024 and 2025 budgets was inappropriate.
“This has, no doubt, impacted very negatively on their capacity to procure materials and modern security equipment as well as their operational capabilities,” he said.
Abdullahi stressed the need for the National Assembly to provide the intelligence community the necessary resources to safeguard the nation, the citizens and their property.
A member of the committee, Sen. Orji Kalu (APC-Abia), commended the security and intelligence community for appearing before the committee promptly.
He said: “In previous instances, some invitees—especially certain ministers—have not adhered to scheduled times, arriving hours late and citing various excuses.
“Such delays negatively affect our work, especially during this critical budget period,” he said.
Kalu, while describing budget deliberations as serious matters, said: “delays hinder our ability to perform our constitutional duties effectively.
“I urge that this culture of punctuality and respect for institutional processes be maintained.”
Also speaking, the Permanent Secretary, Special Services, Office of the National Security Adviser, Mohammed Sanusi, said that the brief covered the Office of the National Security Adviser and its centres.
The centres, according to him, include the National Counter Terrorism Centre, National Cyber Security Coordination Centre, National Centre for Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons and Presidential Amnesty Programmes, among others.
Sanusi said that the key focus area for the intelligence community in the current financial year included, but not limited to, combating terrorism, banditry and kidnapping through enhanced intelligence and community-based strategies.
“It is noteworthy that the operations and the activities of the securities in the 2025 financial year are not without challenges.
“Some of these key challenges encountered by the intelligence community in the implementation of the 2025 budget include, among others, the envelope system of budgeting,” he said.
Sanusi said that the envelope system constituted a lot of constraints in terms of resource allocation to the intelligence community.
“There are irregular releases of the overhead cost, non-implementation of the release of the 2025 capital appropriation and irregular release of foreign service personnel shortfall,” he stated.
He, therefore, called for provision of adequate funding to the intelligence committee through supplementary budget.
“This is to ensure timely and speedy response to issues of national security. We all agree that no nation can grow without adequate security,” Sanusi said.
Also, The Senate Wednesday through its committee on National Security and Intelligence took a swipe at heads of federal government owned Ministries, Departments and Agencies ( MDAs), fond of attending committee’s events late .
It, however, commended heads of the various security intelligence agencies for always being punctual at such critical engagements.
Harsh remarks by Senate to heads of agencies fond of attending various standing committees’ engagements lately, came up during budget defence session the National Security and Intelligence committee , had with the National Security Adviser ( NSA) , Nuhu Ribadu , the Director – General of Department of State Services ( DSS ) etc .
Expressing his displeasure at the late coming attitude of most of heads of agencies for budget defence session , Senator Orji Uzor Kalu ( Abia North ) , said the habit must stop as the Senate , would no longer tolerate such .
He specifically declared that former Serving Senators or members of the National Assembly who, through appointments, now in the executive arm of government, were most guilty of the late coming attitude .
He said : “We are happy that the various heads of National Security and Intelligence agencies arrived for the budget defence session before 11: 00 am fixed for commencement of the interface .
” However, it is not so with many of the other heads of agencies, particularly those being led by former serving Senators or National Assembly members .
” This is absolutely rubbish because this is a budget period that must be given the required seriousness by all stakeholders.
” The perpetual latecomers are always fond of lying that they came late for committees’ assignments because presidential engagement at the Villa which to us here , are lies “
Concurring to Kalu’s cautionary remarks , the Chairman of the committee , Senator Yahaya Abdullahi ( Kebbi North ) , said it should be taken as a wake up call by all the affected heads of agencies .
Also, The House of Representatives Committee on National Security and Intelligence has called for improved funding of intelligence gathering agencies to tackle insecurity in the country.
The Chairman of the committee, Rep. Ahmad Satomi (APC- Borno) made the call on Wednesday at the 2026 budget defence session in Abuja.
The lawmaker also called for stronger collaboration between the executive and legislature to enhance Nigeria’s security architecture.
According to him, national security remains the foundation of development, aligning with the position earlier canvassed by President Bola Tinubu in his presentation of the ₦58.18 trillion 2026 Appropriation Bill to the National Assembly.
He said that the sum of ₦5.41 trillion was allocated to defence and security, ₦3.56 trillion to infrastructure, ₦3.52 trillion to education, and ₦2.48 trillion to health.
“Out of the N5.42 trillion, the intelligence subsector comprising the Office of the National Security Adviser (NSA) and its agencies, the Department of State Services (DSS) the National Intelligence Agency (NIA), Presidential Air Fleet and the National Institute for Security Studies were allocated a total of N664,119,740 for their Personnel, Overhead and Capital Expenditures.
“Further breakdown shows that personnel cost for all the Agencies in the Intelligence sector for 2026 is N245,941,663,329, total overhead cost proposal is N131,273,507,85 and total proposed capital expenditure N286,904,549,354.
“These allocations are indeed very abysmal; there is absolutely nothing to suggest that the presidency priorities security and intelligence if we go by the releases for the 2025 budget implementation, at the least the releases that is known to us.
“One would have expected that if indeed the provision of welfare and security is the primary purpose of governance, then releases to the security sector should not be treated trivially.
“This committee is therefore 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 recalled that in 2024, the committee undertook a visit to the training schools of DSS in Bauchi, Lagos and Enugu and was disheartened by the sorry state of the facilities in all the schools visited.
According to him, what we observed cannot in all honestly deliver world class technical, psychological and sociological capabilities to our men and women who are laying down their lives for the service of our beloved country.
He urged the President to direct that the training schools be given separate funding heads in the budget as is done with the Armed forces and police training intuitions and adequate provisions should be made to run them.
In his remarks, the Permanent Secretary, Special Services in the Office of National Security Adviser, said that the envelop system of budgeting constituted a lot of constrain in terms of resources allocation to the intelligence community.
He said that the irregular release of Overhead Cost, on-implementation of the releases of the 2025 appropriated overhead cost, irregular release of foreign service personnel shortfall for 2024 due to forex differential also constrained the community.
“Non-release of Capital allocation, high exchange rate, inadequate operational vehicles for effective and efficient covert and overt operations as well as I ncreased cost of foreign exchange on the maintenance of Presidential Air Fleet abroad instead of at own hanger were challenges faced.
“Our humble prayer is that adequate funding should be provided through a supplementary budget to the intelligence community to ensure timely and speedy response to issues of national security.
“We all agreed that no nation can grow without adequate security.
“I wish to state and reiterate that the intelligence community always assure the entire nation of its commitment to transparency, accountability and effective resource management by ensuring that the budgetary provisions align with the government’s overall security objectives,” he said.
.As ONSA demands special funding to tackle insecurity
The security and intelligence community in Nigeria has appealed for a special and supplementary budget to ensure timely and speedy response to national security threats and other issues
The 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 on Wednesday.
He said this becomes more pertinent with the recent declaration of State of Emergency on National Security by President Bola Tinubu.
He stressed that no nation can grow without adequate security.
His brief covered Office of National Security Adviser and its Centers which includes National CounterTerrorism Centre (NCT), National Cybersecurity Coordination Centre (NCCC), National Centre for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons (NCCSA&LW) and Presidential Amnesty Programme [PAP].
In addition, it covered the Department of State Services (DSS), National Intelligence Agency (NIA), National Institute for Security Studies (NISS) and Presidential Air Fleet (PAF).
He said key focus areas for the intelligence community in the current financial year 2026 includes but not limited to combatting terrorism, banditry and kidnapping through enhanced Intelligence and community based strategies; securing of critical infrastructure to ensure economic and food security; enhancing the protection of oil and gas critical infrastructure to increase output of oil production maritime safety and border security.
Others are enhancing adequate cybersecurity; continuous maintenance of positive and tolerable security level within Three Arms Zone, the entire FCT and the country in general; capacity building and manpower development to address emerging security challenges; emerging transnational crimes and the proliferation of small arms and light weapons across the West African corridor; as well as the impact of political unrest within the contiguous West African countries.
He said some of the key challenges encountered by the Intelligence Community in the implementation of the 2025 Budget includes the envelop system of budgeting which constituted a lot of constrain in terms of resources allocation to the Intelligence Community.
Others, he said are the irregular release of overhead cost; non-implementation of the releases of the 2025 appropriated overhead cost; and irregular release of foreign service personnel shortfall for 2024 due to forex differential.
Other challenges he said are the non-release of Capital allocation; High exchange rate as almost all service level agreement are transacted in US Dollars; inadequate operational vehicles for effective and efficient covert and overt operations; and increased cost of foreign exchange on the maintenance of Presidential Air Fleet abroad instead of at own hanger.
“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 by ensuring that the budgetary provisions align with the government’s overall security objectives.
“Finally, the Intelligence Community acknowledged and thanked Mr.
President, His Excellency Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, for his commitments and determination to ensure peace and security returns in our respective communities. We also remain grateful to the National Assembly and its leadership for the support and understanding,” he said.
Chairman of the House Committee on National Security and Intelligence, Engr Ahmad Satomi, said the allocation for the intelligence sub-sector was abysmal.
“I am also happy that Mr. President in his speech acknowledged the relevance of the intelligence subsector in the overall drive for a stable national security. In the 2026 budget speech, he said “Our administration is resetting the national security architecture and establishing a new national counterterrorism doctrine — a holistic redesign anchored on unified command, intelligence gathering, community stability, and counter – insurgency. This new doctrine will fundamentally change how we confront terrorism and other violent crimes.”
“However, looking at the 2026 Budget proposal, the Defence and security is allocated 5.41 trillion-naira. The intelligence subsector comprising the Office of the NSA and its Agencies, the Department of State Services, The National Intelligence Agency, Presidential Air Fleet and the National Institute for Security Studes is allocated a total of N664,119,740 for their Personnel, overhead and Capital Expenditures in 2026. Further breakdown shows that personnel cost for all the Agencies in the Intelligence sector for 2026 is N245,941,663,329, total overhead cost proposal is N131,273,507,85 and total proposed capital expenditure N286,904,549,354.
“These allocations are indeed very abysmal and does not seem to match the intent of the speech delivered by the president to the Joint Session of the National Assembly on December 19th 2025.
“Also, there is absolutely nothing to suggest that the presidency priorities security and intelligence if we go by the releases for the 2025 budget implementation, at the least the releases that is known to us. One would have expected that if indeed the provision of welfare and security is the primary purpose of governance, then releases to the security sector should not be treated trivially.
“This Committee is therefore 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,” Satomi said.
He noted that President Bola Tinubu emphasized the imperative of national security as a bedrock to economic growth and stability thus accentuating the primary responsibility of government as provided in section 14 (2b) of the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
This, he said, cannot be achieved if the legislature and the executive do not see themselves as stakeholders and partners in the Nigerian project and thus acknowledge and respect each other’s constitutional responsibilities.
He said a situation where security and intelligence agencies views the legislature as meddlesome interlopers whenever legislative committees tries to carryout legislative oversight of the security sector is anti-productive and an ill wind that does not do any good to the country.
“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. This engenders citizens trust and appreciation of our men and women in the security sector, ensures transparency, accountability and value for money in the execution of government projects, programs and policies in the sector,” he said.
He said it was regrettable to observe the resistance of some agencies to parliamentary oversight responsibility.
“I dare say that not everything should be classified for the leadership and members of standing committees oversighting security and intelligence agencies. As honourable members of the National Assembly we are bound by our Oaths/Affirmation of Allegiance and Oath of Membership prescribed in the seventh schedule of the constitution.
“I therefore call for a change of attitude from the affected agencies so that together and as partners in nation building, we can carry out the primary responsibility of government which is the provision of welfare and security to every Nigerian. No one arm of government can do it alone,” he said.
He noted that the National Assembly has enacted several legislations to enhance efficiency and effectiveness in the security and intelligence sector.
He expected that going forward, the Committee on National Security and Intelligence will continuously engage all relevant stakeholders, particularly those entrusted to execute the body of laws in the security and intelligence sector to ensure that these legislations are not just there in the shelves but that every provision is implemented to the later in order to achieve the legislative intent for their enactments.
“In 2024, this committee undertook a visit to the training schools of the Department of sate services in Bauchi, Lagos and Enugu and have scheduled to visit the remaining ones in Kaduna and the proposed institutions sites at Kogi and Cross River States. We also visited the Training school of the NIA in Lagos.
“We were disheartened by the sorry state of the facilities in all the schools we visited as what we observed cannot in all honestly deliver world class technical, psychological and sociological capabilities to our men and women who are laying down their lives for the service of our beloved country.
“Again, this committee calls on our dear president to direct that these training schools be given separate funding heads in the budget as is done with the Armed forces and police training intuitions and adequate provisions should be made to run them
“Hon Colleagues, Ladies and Gentlemen, as we deliberate on the 2026 budget proposal today, this committee wish to assure you and all Nigerians that the House of Representatives is fully committed to supporting the agencies in the Intelligence sector to achieve success in the execution of their mandates.
“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.
Also, Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice Lateef Fagbemi has said that inadequate funding and non-release of appropriated funds in the annual budgets of the federal ministry had adversely affected the justice sector reforms delivery of the Federal Government of Nigeria FGN.
He stated this in a presentation at the 2026 Budget Defence of the Federal Ministry of Justice with the House of Representatives Committee on Justice on Wednesday in Abuja.
He told the House Committee that the Ministry’s mandate and engagements are focused on attaining the goals and initiatives outlined in the National Policy on Justice 2024 and its Strategic Plan 2023-2027.
He further stated that these objectives and initiatives are in alignment with the current administration’s roadmap for justice sector (legal and judicial reforms) roadmap for the justice sector (legal and judicial reforms) of the Renewed Hope Agenda.
The Minister however lamented that inadequate budgetary allocation to the ministry coupled with delayed release of funds are adversely impacting on the capacity of the ministry to deliver critical projects and services to the citizenry.
He listed criminal justice and counter-terrorism, exit from Financial Action Task Force (FATF) grey list and asset recovery and financial management as some of key achievements in the ongoing jusice reforms of the ministry.
He said that the Ministry received only N6,675,702.827.32 out of N7, 499.524.027) as overhead cost for ten months representing 82% performance.
The Ministry also received a warrant for capital projects in the sum of N869.630.896.30 out of N6,749.616.425), representing only 12% of total capital budget adding that most regrettedly even the 12% was not cash-backed.
He added that the Ministry received no funding for its 2025 capital projects and explained that this situation is not peculiar to the ministry.
On the 2026 Budget proposal of the federal ministry, he said that it earmarked N23,680,142,209.50 broke down into personnel, overhead and and capital costs.
Chairman of the House Committee Hon.Olumide Osoba and other members said that the House panel will adequately scrutinize the budget proposal of the Ministry and its agencies to ensure that justice sector reforms are not hindered by lack of funds.
He also said that the Committee will ensure effective oversight of any amount of fund approved for the Ministry in its annual budgets.
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