DSS opposes foreign funding in proposed trust fund law – THISAGE

By Victor Osula, Abuja

The Department of State Services (DSS) has strongly opposed provisions allowing foreign donations in a proposed law that seeks to establish a dedicated trust fund for the agency, warning that international funding could expose classified intelligence operations, compromise sensitive national security information and create a dangerous external influence on Nigeria’s internal security system.

This position was made known on Thursday during a public hearing organized by the House Committee on National Security and Intelligence in Abuja, where lawmakers considered three major security-related bills designed to strengthen intelligence funding, training, institutional research and operational capacity in Nigeria’s security architecture.

Among the bills considered were the Department of State Services Trust Fund bill (HB.2178), the Strategic Intelligence Management Institute bill (HB.2589), and the DSS Research and Development Institute bill (HB.2716).

Emmanuel Daubry, DSS representative at the hearing, said that although the Service strongly supports the creation of a trust fund as a strategic financing mechanism, allowing grants, donations, and donations from international organizations poses serious national security dangers that must be addressed before the bill is passed.

According to him, the proposed trust fund would provide the agency with stable and flexible funding needed to strengthen intelligence collection, counterterrorism operations and other critical national security responsibilities, while reducing dependence on conventional government budget allocations.

He explained that dedicated funding would improve access to modern intelligence equipment, strengthen personnel training programs and improve rapid response capabilities against terrorism, insurgency, banditry, kidnapping, civil unrest and other emerging threats facing the country.

However, Daubry warned lawmakers that foreign financing deals often involve disclosure obligations that can expose sensitive operating procedures, intelligence methods, procurement systems and classified security strategies.

He argued that allowing international organizations to financially support Nigeria’s domestic intelligence agency could compromise operational independence and create channels for external interference in matters affecting national security.

According to him, foreign contributors could ultimately influence internal security priorities in ways that may not align with Nigeria’s peculiar security challenges, particularly the growing threats posed by insurgency, violent extremism, armed banditry and mass kidnappings in different parts of the country.

The DSS then urged lawmakers to amend the bill by limiting all financial contributions strictly to national sources and local organizations.

The agency also expressed concern about provisions giving the National Assembly the power to determine annual government contributions to the proposed trust fund, warning that discretionary funding arrangements could create uncertainty and undermine long-term operational planning.

To ensure sustainability, the DSS recommended a fixed percentage contribution formula that ensures stable funding while preserving legislative oversight.

The Service also proposed amendments to the title of the bill, recommending the removal of the word “Security” to reflect what it described as the correct legal designation of the agency.

Daubry also proposed consequential amendments to several sections of the legislation, including revisions to the explanatory memorandum attached to the bill.

On governance, the DSS criticized some aspects of the proposed composition of the council, arguing that the structure lacks mandatory legal representation and includes the Nigeria Governors’ Forum, which it described as a non-statutory body.

The agency recommended that state representation on the governing board should not be linked to the Governors’ Forum and proposed that the Nigerian Bar Association appoint a representative with expertise in national security law and human rights. It further proposed that the secretary of the council should be directly appointed by the President and should be a serving or retired DSS officer not below the rank of deputy director with at least ten years of post-call legal experience.

The agency also identified legal gaps in the proposed legislation, noting that the bill failed to provide clear procedures for resigning or removing board members. To resolve this issue, he proposed that members resign on one month’s written notice to the President, while the President should retain the power to remove the president or any member of the board for misconduct, incompetence or failure to discharge official responsibilities.

Despite the proposed amendments, the DSS urged lawmakers to proceed with passing the bill, describing the trust fund as a critical institutional reform needed to strengthen its operational efficiency and long-term intelligence capabilities.

In a separate communication, the DSS also expressed concern about the proposed Strategic Intelligence Management Institute law, warning that the institution risks duplicating responsibilities already assigned to the National Institute for Security Studies established by the 2019 law.

The agency argued that both institutions appear to play similar roles in strategic intelligence training and capacity building of security personnel and senior government officials.

To avoid duplication, the DSS recommended reorienting the proposed institute toward foreign intelligence training and international intelligence cooperation, arguing that such responsibilities align more closely with the National Intelligence Agency’s mandate.

Chairman of the House Committee on National Security and Intelligence, Ahmed Satomi, said the three bills were designed to strengthen funding systems, improve training facilities and deepen research capacity within Nigeria’s evolving security framework.

The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Abbas Tajudeen, represented by the Leader of the House, Julius Ihonvbere, said national security remains the foundation of national survival and development, stressing that emerging threats such as terrorism, cybercrime, kidnapping and banditry require sustained investments in intelligence, innovation and technology-based security solutions.