Retired Major-General Babagana Monguno, the National Security Adviser (NSA) says President Muhammadu Buhari is working toward handing over a secured Nigeria in 2023.

Mr Monguno said this when he appeared for 2023 budget defence at the National Assembly on Thursday in Abuja.

He said that Nigeria needed to rely more on intelligence gathering toward addressing its security challenges.

The NSA said that the intelligence agencies have their limitations saying that the rest can only be done through legislative action.

“We deal with human beings and if we are not supported in the right way, no matter how emotionally, psychologically we are prepared, we cannot overcome these problems without legislative support.

“Please, honourable members, I want you to aside whatever other competing considerations there are.

“What Buhari is working on right now is a safer Nigeria. It is true and I have to be very honest with you,” he said.

He said that the successes recorded so far in combating the security challenge were basically rooted in the efforts of the State Security Services (SSS), National Intelligence Agency and Defence Intelligence Agency.

According to him, these agencies have been able to provide timely intelligence to the operational elements.

“We hinge all our hopes and aspirations on whatever actions you (committee) will take in solving the myriads of problems that confront us and I want to assure you that the problems are quite enormous.

“I am appealing to your conscience. All of you represent different parts of this country and I know you have the interest of Nigeria at heart.

“Our people are suffering, they are weeping, they are wailing, we must help them,” he said.

Ibrahim Sharada, the chairman of the committee said the most important thing was the budget performance of the intelligence department.

Mr Sharada said that the committee also wanted to get the detailed 2023 budget for scrutiny.

“It is instructive to note that the total budget for the intelligence community was slightly reduced from N221.7 billion in 2022 to N195.18 billion in 2023.

“This is as a result of economic challenges caused by global economic instability caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

“This is in spite of the fact that this committee has appealed to the Budget Office to consider the removal of the agencies in the intelligence community from the envelop budgeting system to strengthen their operational capacity which will only be guaranteed through adequate funding.

“This committee will require the agencies to present their 2023 estimates for further legislative actions,” he said.

(NAN)