Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on National Security and Intelligence, Ahmed Satomi yesterday said the nation needs a National Security and Intelligence Trust Fund to tackle security challenges having the country.

Satomi, who disclosed this at the public hearing on the bill for the establishment of the fund said the current funding system is inadequate. He said the bill aims to provide alternative funding for the country’s intelligence agencies, reducing their dependence on budgetary allocations.

The lawmaker explained that the proposed trust fund will be financed through various channels, including: 1% of the consolidated revenue from the federation accounts, donations and gifts (although some stakeholders have suggested removing this option to prevent potential corruption), airspace money generated from Nigeria’s airspace, unclaimed funds (although this option is still being debated due to constitutional constraints).

“The bill’s proponents argue that alternative funding is essential to address the country’s security challenges, which cannot be solved solely through kinetic operations.”