The 2023 budget included funding cuts for several intelligence organizations, including the Department of Security Services, National Intelligence Agency, and Defence Intelligence Agency.
On Thursday at a budget defence session,Shabban Sharada, Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on National Security and Intelligence, revealed this.
According to him, the intelligence agencies’ budget was reduced from N221.7 billion in 2022 to N195.18 billion in 2023.
Additionally, Mr Sharada urged the government to abolish the envelope budgeting process for intelligence organizations.
The budget for the intelligence community’s overall operations was marginally lowered from N221.7 billion in 2022 to N195.18 billion in 2023, the legislator noted.
The latest offensive against bandits and militants, according to National Security Adviser Babangana Monguno, might be linked to the intelligence provided by the intelligence services.
He said that the issue of insecurity in this century calls for a distinctive strategy requiring knowledge.
In today’s environment, Mr Monguno stated: “We can only solve this issue when we acknowledge the significance of intellect as the engine and force behind all endeavours in a whole-society approach.”
He emphasized: “President Muhammadu Buhari wants to leave a safer Nigeria for whoever is going to inherit it, he is now working on that. I have to be honest with you, but it is true.