By Kelechi Ogunleye
THE MINISTER of Interior, Dr Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, on Tuesday said that the ministry generated over N6 billion in 2024 after rendering several services to Nigerians.
Tunji-Ojo said this during the 2025 First Quarter Media briefing in Abuja, noting that out of the N6 billion, N3,220,035 was generated from the expatriate quota, N2,409,282 from marriage services, N392,790 from citizenship while N12,350 was raked in from a place of worship.
He further stated that in 2023, 32,640 officers and men were promoted from its four service agencies, while promotion exercise in 2024 had a record of 20,851.
“2023 was higher because of the backlog of promotion which we have cleared, as there is currently no backlog in any of the services.
“In 2023, NCoS promoted 4,701 personnel; NIS, 4,853; FFS, 1680 and NSCDC, 21,406.
“In 2024, NCoS promoted 5,331 personnel; NIS, 5,088; FFS; 486 and NSCDC, 9,946 officers and men,” he said.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the agencies under the ministry include: Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) and Federal Fire Service (FFS).
Others are: National Identification Management Commission (NIMC), Nigeria Correctional Service (NCoS) and Civil Defence, Fire, Immigration and Prisons Services Board (CDFIPB).
Tunji-Ojo said that 10,783 officers and men were recruited into NIS, NSCDC and FFS from 2023 till date.
“In 2023, NIS recruited 5,283 personnel, NSCDC recruited 3,000 while the FFS in 2024 announced the recruitment of 2,500 firefighters.
“There was also an approval by the president on revised authorised structure for the service and board which has sorted out stagnation in the service,” he said.
The minister said that the recruitment of more personnel into the services was aimed at getting more people to help fulfill their respective mandates.
According to him, gender equality is a major factor in the recruitment exercises in the ministry, with 35 per cent inclusion of women.
Tunji-Ojo said that FFS’ recent recruitment had over 35 per cent female inclusion.
He warned that the ministry would not condone any form of indiscipline amongst its operatives, hence the number of ongoing disciplinary cases.
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“The disciplinary cases handled by NSCDC in 2024 were 37, FFS; 12, NIS; 21 and NCoS; 48,” he stated.
Tunji-Ojo said that in 2024, the ministry completed the first phase of its manpower audit, which indicated that migration of personnel still in service “commonly referred to as ‘japa’ in Nigeria” caused a leakage within the ministry.
“The report from the japa leakage was shocking after the audits; however, such leakages have been blocked,” he said.
The minister said that for effective and better service delivery, heads of all agencies under the ministry were mandated to sign performance contracts.
“Performance contracts are signed with me because everybody in the ministry has targets, as it is no longer business as usual,” he said. (NAN)
