The Department of State Services (DSS) has rejected a provision in the security trust fund bill that would allow foreign donations to the fund.
Emmanuel Daubry, a representative of the DSS, raised the
objection on Thursday at a public hearing organised by the house of
representatives on national security and intelligence on a bill seeking to
establish a trust fund for the DSS.
Daubry said allowing foreign entities to contribute to the
fund could expose sensitive intelligence operations to external influence and
compromise national security.
He also expressed concerns over a clause empowering the
national assembly to determine annual contributions to the fund, saying it
could create uncertainty in financing.
Daubry noted that the bill does not clearly define the
contributions expected from the federal and state governments.
Daubry commended the parliament for the proposed trust fund,
saying it would provide stable and flexible financing for intelligence
gathering, counterterrorism efforts, and broader national security operations.
He said the fund would facilitate the acquisition of modern
operational equipment, enhance personnel training, improve response time to
emerging security threats, minimise delays associated with conventional
budgetary procedures, and safeguard the confidentiality required for sensitive
operations.
The committee also considered two other bills aimed at
strengthening Nigeria’s intelligence architecture through professional training
and coordination, and the development of indigenous capacity and technology.
Tajudeen Abbas, speaker of the house of representatives, who
was represented by Julius Ihonvbere, the majority leader, said Nigeria must
enhance its ability to gather, analyse and deploy intelligence in a timely and
coordinated manner.
“A critical component of this is the issue of sustainable
funding,” he said.
Ahmed Satomi, chairman of the committee on national security
and intelligence, said the bills would better position the country’s
intelligence agencies to protect Nigerians and safeguard national interests.
Satomi added that national security requires the vigilance
and partnership of all citizens and should not be left solely to the
government.
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