The Department of State Services has urged the House of Representatives to remove provisions permitting international organisations to fund its proposed Security Trust Fund, warning that foreign contributions could compromise national security and expose sensitive intelligence operations.
Representing the DSS at a public hearing on Thursday, Emmanuel Duabry endorsed the bill but demanded deletion of Section 3(d), which allows grants and donations from international bodies.
“Allowing foreign funding raises serious concerns relating to sovereignty, operational confidentiality, and institutional independence. International funding may impose reporting obligations capable of compromising intelligence methods, procurement processes, and deployment strategies,” Duabry stated.
The Service proposed restricting funding to local sources only, while backing the Trust Fund’s core mandate to finance intelligence gathering, counterterrorism and rapid emergency response.
The DSS also sought amendments to the board composition, recommending Nigerian Bar Association representation over the Nigerian Governors’ Forum, and a fixed funding formula to replace discretionary National Assembly allocations.
Additionally, it opposed a separate bill establishing a Strategic Intelligence Management Institute, arguing it duplicates the existing National Institute for Security Studies.
House Committee Chairman Ahmed Satomi defended the three bills as vital to strengthening intelligence capacity, while Speaker Abbas Tajudeen, represented by Prof Julius Ihonvbere, stressed the need for enhanced investment in domestic security.
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