The House of Representatives Committee on Defence has called for an increase in the budget allocation for the Defence Intelligence Agency, DIA.
Committee Chairman Hon. Babajimi Benson expressed surprise that the DIA receives the smallest budget compared to the Department of State Security, DSS, and the Nigeria Intelligence Agency, NIA.
During an oversight visit to the DIA headquarters in Abuja on Tuesday, Benson highlighted the agency’s crucial role in national security. He emphasised that the DIA is responsible for both domestic and foreign intelligence gathering, making it essential to bolster its resources.
“We have looked at the budget of the three intelligence agencies and believe the DIA should be getting more because it not only covers internal security but also provides intelligence from both within and outside Nigeria,” Benson stated.
He stressed the importance of intelligence-driven approaches in addressing the country’s multifaceted security challenges and urged for a significant increase in the DIA’s budget to align with its critical role.