By Correspondent in Abuja.
The House of Representatives Committee on National Security and Intelligence has urged the Department of State Security (DSS) to explore artificial intelligence and other advanced upscale technologies in combating insecurity in the country.
The Chairman of the Committee, Rep. Shaban Sharada (APC-Kano), made the call at an oversight function to evaluate the 2020 budget performance of the DSS on Wednesday, in Abuja.
He said that more than ever before, Nigeria was faced with varieties of security challenges ranging from kidnapping, banditry and separationist agitations and communal clashes.
Sharada noted with concern that the security challenges had continued to negatively affect the wellbeing of the people of Nigeria.
According to him, this situation calls for collaboration of all arms of government to confront it, adding that “by God’s grace, we shall succeed.”
“This committee will continue to support the service in the discharge of their constitutional mandate so that together we shall achieve the needed milestone in providing security and welfare for Nigerians.
“As part of our determination to provide the necessary instructional framework and provided conducive environment for security agents to efficiently do their job recently, we conducted public hearing on four security bills two days ago.
“The bill for Compulsory Installation of Closed Circuit Television (CCTV) Infrastructure into the Security Architecture of Nigeria, when passed into law, is expected to further enhance and aid the work of the service.
“I encourage the DSS to continue to explore the use of artificial intelligence and other advanced upscale technology in intelligence gathering, surveillance, forensic investigations and general security management.
“I acknowledge the efforts of the DSS in preventing crimes through the utilisation of intelligence gathering; I call on all the security agencies to make maximum use of and intelligence alert at their disposal toward the protection of lives and property,” he said.
The chairman expressed optimism that the oversight function would afford the lawmakers the opportunity to appraise the 2020 budget implementation by the DSS.
He said that the lawmakers would also use the opportunity to be updated of the various efforts deployed in the management of security and the mandate of the department.
Sharada also urged the management of the DSS to feel free to approached the parliament with challenges that require parliamentary interventions.
He commended the leadership and men of the DDS for their professionalism and sacrifices in the discharge of their duty of securing the country.
Sharada pledged the support of the committee to the DSS and its efforts to combat insecurity in the country.
In his response, the Director- General of DSS, Mr Yussuf Bichi, appreciated the lawmakers for their continuous support for the service.
According to him, the support from the parliament has gone a long way in assisting the service to meet its mandate and the security challenges of the country.
Bichi said that the budgetary allocations approved by the parliament had enabled research, facilitated movement of staff in operation and ensured acquisition of state of the art equipments.
The director-general said that the DSS got 100 per cent releases of the 2020 budget, adding that it had so far received 62 per cent of allocations in the 2021 budget.
