Senate Meets NSA, Seeks More Security Funding

The Senate on Wednesday grilled the National Security Adviser, Maj.-Gen. Babagana Monguno (retd.), after which the chamber resolved to approve more funds for the Office of the NSA to address the spate of insecurity in the country.

Monguno was invited to brief the lawmakers on the “proliferation of firearms, spate of killings by terrorists and kidnapping by hoodlums across the country.”

The NSA, who was led into the chamber by the Special Adviser to the President on National Assembly Matters (Senate), Senator Ita Enang, was grilled behind closed doors for about three and a half hours.

Emerging from the interaction, President of the Senate, Bukola Saraki, said, “He answered questions from distinguished senators bordering on security — insurgency, terrorism, kidnapping, co-ordination of the security agencies and the general killings in the country.

“Thereafter, we directed that he submits a funding request similar to other heads of security agencies that had come before us and to submit consideration where relevant amendments to existing laws involving security agencies need consideration.”

The Senate had, on May 23, grilled heads of security agencies over the spate of insecurity across the country. The meeting, which lasted four hours, was also held behind closed doors.

In attendance were the Director-General of the Department of State Services, Lawal Daura; and the Chief of Defence Staff, General Abayomi Olonisakin. Heads of other military and paramilitary agencies had sent their representatives.

Saraki had, after the meeting, described it as “a useful deliberation.”

He said that the lawmakers resolved that the security agencies would get special funding, which the legislature was ready to approve.