Promotions in paramilitary agencies now merit-based, says FG

The Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, on Thursday, stated that promotions for personnel of the Nigerian Immigration Service, Federal Fire Service, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, and Nigerian Correctional Service would now be based primarily on merit.

According to him, the era of promotions influenced by lobbying and nepotism is over in the paramilitary services.

The minister, reacting to recent grumblings and petitions by some personnel regarding promotion issues, revealed that over 64,000 personnel had been promoted between 2023 and now.

Speaking at a retreat organised by the Civil Defence, Fire, Immigration and Prison Services Board for senior officers of the paramilitary services, Tunji-Ojo warned personnel against lobbying him for promotions.

He assured them that any officer who diligently performs their duties and passes the promotion examinations would be promoted.

Tunji-Ojo said, “Over 64,000 people were promoted between last year and now. Promotions as of today are as and when due. I didn’t know anybody before they were promoted. And I don’t need to know you. Gone were the days when people would need to lobby to be promoted.

“Don’t lobby me. If you pass the examination and you perform well, then you will be prompted. That is it.
We can’t continue to run a service on the premise of who knows who. Nepotism? No way. It has to be professional.”

The minister lamented that some officers had been denied promotions in the past because they lacked connections at the top, vowing never to support such practices.

He also warned that those writing petitions and making false allegations would face disciplinary action if caught.

Tunji-Ojo said, “We must run our services professionally. There are a lot of people today who are ACGs. There are people today who are controllers in a normal scenario with their contribution, with their knowledge base, with their understanding of the job they should have been DCGs. That’s the truth. There are people like that, just because they do not have somebody to place a call to.

“They’ve been denied promotions for years, and you say that system should continue? May the day when I’ll be part of impunity, may that day never come. So, if you are writing petitions, I beg you, continue. But let me tell you, you make stupid allegations and we get you, we will discipline you.”

Recalling his experience in Lagos, where he asked some senior officers about their duties and they could not provide an answer, the minister stated that promotions would no longer be based solely on seniority.

He said, “Seniority qualifies you. Performance is what makes you cross the hurdle. I’ve spent five years. What value have you added? I was in the NIS office some time ago in Lagos. And I interviewed more than 20 officers, senior officers. I asked them What do you do here? Some of them do not know.

“And that kind of person will come to me and say, come and promote me. If you do not know what you are supposed to be doing, see, paramilitary is not a poverty alleviation job. The paramilitary agency is a career of pride. If you want to do poverty alleviation, go to NAPEP. And I mean it.

“No petition will stop us from doing what is right. Beneficiaries of an ill society will always protest when things are being said right. We will not, because of the ego, we will not, because of the aspiration of those people, sacrifice the lives of 200 million Nigerians.”

He also warned the correctional service against giving special treatment to wealthy individuals in custodial centres.

Tunji-Ojo said, “The correctional centre cannot be a bazaar. It cannot be a bazaar for the highest bidder. Your comfort level should not be dependent on your economic or financial status as an inmate. In the correctional centre, you are there to rehabilitate, reform, and transform people.

“You are not responsible for the decimation of Nigerians. Even an inmate has a right and this must be respected. “