The Federal Government of Nigeria has promoted more than 70,000 paramilitary officers over the past three years and launched a technology-driven Integrated Operating Centre (IOC) aimed at strengthening border control and tracking immigration violations in real time.
The Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, disclosed this in Abuja while declaring open the 2026 Sectoral Performance Retreat for agencies under the Federal Ministry of Interior.
The retreat, held at the Nigeria Army Conference Centre, carried the theme “Accountable Leadership, Measurable Impacts: Reviewing Results, Renewing Commitments.”
Mass promotion across paramilitary services
Tunji-Ojo described the promotion of personnel across agencies under the ministry as unprecedented, noting that the initiative reflects the administration of Bola Tinubu to boost morale and professionalism within Nigeria’s paramilitary services.
“Only yesterday, I approved the 2026 promotion of personnel across all agencies under the Ministry. By April and May, the implementation will commence,” the minister said.
He urged officers to reciprocate the government’s support with discipline, patriotism and improved service delivery.
High-tech immigration monitoring system
In a parallel reform aimed at strengthening migration management, Tunji-Ojo announced that the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) has established an Integrated Operating Centre equipped with advanced surveillance and data integration technology.
According to the minister, the centre provides real-time intelligence on foreigners who overstay their visas, with historical data covering as much as 10 years.
“With the sophisticated gadgets and equipment now in place, the Immigration Service has become a strong internal security enabler. The Service will go after those who have overstayed. It is no longer business as usual,” he said.
He added that the system uses advanced analytics and harmonised databases to identify persons of interest and improve border management.
Expansion of border surveillance
As part of the ongoing reforms, the government has also established seven new Forward Operating Bases (FOBs) to improve surveillance and migration monitoring across Nigeria’s borders.
Tunji-Ojo commended the Comptroller-General of the NIS, Kemi Nanna Nandap, for what he described as visionary leadership in modernising the immigration service.
Reform push across interior agencies
The minister also praised the contributions of other agencies under the ministry, including the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, the Nigeria Correctional Service and the Federal Fire Service, while cautioning that progress should not lead to complacency.
He tasked the Commandant-General of the NSCDC, Ahmed Audi, with intensifying the protection of critical national infrastructure, including oil pipelines, mining sites, schools and hospitals.
“The corps cannot be run like a volunteer service,” the minister said, calling for a clear operational roadmap following Audi’s reappointment.
Focus on rehabilitation in correctional reforms
On correctional reforms, Tunji-Ojo emphasised that prison management must prioritise rehabilitation and reintegration, warning that repeat offending indicates deeper systemic challenges.
“If offenders complete their sentences and return to crime, then we have not succeeded,” he said.
Aligning security with national priorities
Permanent Secretary of the ministry, Magdalene Ajani, described the retreat as an important platform for evaluating performance and aligning agency operations with national priorities.
She said the ministry plays a crucial role in border management, citizenship administration and internal security, all of which directly affect Nigerians.
Ajani urged agencies to align their work with the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Tinubu and embrace innovation and constructive criticism to improve results.
The government’s dual strategy of improving personnel welfare through promotions and strengthening operational capacity with technology signals a renewed push to modernise Nigeria’s internal security framework amid increasingly complex domestic and cross-border threats.
