Tunji-Ojo: Tinubu’s reforms restored dignity to paramilitary agencies, ended decades of career stagnation

Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, minister of interior, says President Bola Tinubu has ended decades of career stagnation in Nigeria’s paramilitary agencies.

Tunji-Ojo spoke in Abuja Thursday at the decoration of newly appointed deputy comptroller-generals, deputy controller-generals and deputy commandant-generals of the paramilitary agencies under the ministry.

The agencies are the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), Nigeria Correctional Service (NCoS), Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), and the Federal Fire Service (FFS).

The minister said the promotions were not routine but presidential appointments anchored on merit and transparency.

“Your appointment came as a result of presidential approval. It is not just a promotion but an appointment,” NAN quoted Tunji-Ojo as saying.

“None of you is here on courtesy, whether you deserve it or not. If you are good enough to be DCG, then you are good enough to be CG.”

The minister said the promotion exams were conducted independently and graded by the National Army Resource Centre before being ratified by the civil defence, correctional, fire, and immigration services board (CDCFIB).

He said federal character was applied to ensure inclusiveness, noting that seniority and competence were the sole criteria for selection.

He praised Tinubu for reforms that have restored dignity to the services, noting that irregular promotions had deprived many officers of deserved elevation.

“Many officers retired without attaining positions they merited, not because they lacked competence but because promotions were irregular,” he said.

“Today, this administration has promoted over 52,000 officers in just two years.”

He said vacancies for senior positions had in the past remained open for up to a year, stating that the Tinubu administration had consistently filled them.

According to him, more than 80 percent of those decorated as DCGs were promoted to assistant comptroller-generals (ACGs) under the current government.

The minister listed welfare measures, including improved salaries, peculiar allowances, elimination of stagnation, and life pensions for retired DCGs and CGs.

“This government has shown more support than any other in the history of the country,” he said.

“It believes that to whom much is given, much is expected.”

‘SHOW LOYALTY TO NIGERIA’

Tunji-Ojo urged the newly promoted officers to show loyalty, discipline and innovation in their duties.

He tasked the NIS to strengthening border governance, urged the NCoS to transform prisons into correctional centres, charged the FFS to position itself as first responders, and asked the NSCDC to safeguard critical national assets.

“The time to rise to your responsibility is not tomorrow. It began yesterday,” he said.

“Let us be catalysts of change and show that the government did not make a mistake in entrusting us with these mandates.”

He recalled that during the last exams, a female officer missed promotion by 0.25 marks, stressing that the rigour underscored the fairness of the process.

The minister said he was pleased that the female officer was among those decorated this time.

“The higher you go, the more disciplined you need to be,” Tunji-Ojo told the officers.

“You are now role models. Let your actions speak louder than words. Leave legacies for those coming behind you.”

The minister promised that the ministry would continue to innovate and adopt global best practices.

He cited ongoing reforms, including the passport revolution, centralised processing in immigration, improved facilities at the Fire Academy, upgraded health standards at the Kuje correctional centre, and NSCDC’s role in critical asset protection.

“Show loyalty to Nigeria above anything else. Let the love of this country extinguish any flame of disloyalty. Be mentors, be role models, be catalysts of change,” he said.

The newly appointed senior officers pledged to discharge their duties with integrity and diligence.