The Minister of Interior, Dr Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, has announced that President Bola Tinubu has cleared promotion backlogs across services under the ministry and approved lifetime salaries for retired Comptrollers-General and Deputy Comptrollers-General of Immigration.
Tunji-Ojo disclosed this on Friday during the closing ceremony of the Specialised Border Control and Immigration Management System Training at the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) headquarters in Abuja.
The minister said at least 50,000 personnel had been promoted to new ranks and positions within three years under the Tinubu administration.
He commended the President for addressing longstanding promotion delays and increasing recruitment across the services.
“It has never happened before, but Tinubu did it. He also increased the volume of recruitment, where we now have no fewer than 40,000 new recruits at once,” the minister said.
Tunji-Ojo also praised Tinubu for approving salary increases and improving allowances for personnel serving under the Ministry of Interior.
He noted that the President had approved increases in hazard allowances and other special allowances to improve the welfare of security personnel.
On retirement benefits, the minister disclosed that Tinubu had approved lifetime salaries for retired Comptrollers-General and Deputy Comptrollers-General of Immigration.
According to him, retired Comptrollers-General previously received pensions of about ₦130,000, which he described as inadequate.
“Previously, CGs had a pension of about ₦130,000; it was not encouraging. But what did the President do? He signed and approved salary for life for CGs and DCGs,” he said.
The minister described Tinubu as a leader who had demonstrated significant commitment to the welfare of serving and retired security personnel.
He urged officers to reciprocate the government’s support by performing their duties diligently and ensuring effective service delivery to Nigerians.
Tunji-Ojo further described Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda as a long-term strategy focused on building strong institutions capable of delivering sustainable benefits beyond the administration’s tenure.
He said the President understood the importance of investing in the future rather than focusing solely on immediate gains.
“President Bola Tinubu has never been about the immediate, but the future. He understands that the most prosperous nations do not boil, cook, and eat their seeds; they plant them,” the minister said.
He added that the administration’s policies were aimed at establishing lasting institutions and creating a legacy that would benefit future generations.
The minister stressed that effective leadership should focus on strengthening institutions that would continue to function efficiently even after those currently in government had left office.
