Nigeria Promotes 70,000 Paramilitary Officers, Deploys High-Tech Immigration Centre to Tighten Border Control

By: Michael Mike

In a sweeping show of reform across Nigeria’s internal security architecture, the Federal Government has promoted more than 70,000 paramilitary officers within three years and launched a technology-driven Integrated Operating Centre to track immigration violators in real time.

Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, announced the twin developments in Abuja while declaring open the 2026 Sectoral Performance Retreat for agencies under the Ministry of Interior. The retreat, held at the Nigeria Army Conference Centre, was themed “Accountable Leadership, Measurable Impacts: Reviewing Results, Renewing Commitments.”

Tunji-Ojo described the mass promotion exercise as unprecedented, saying it reflects the commitment of President Bola Tinubu’s administration to improve morale and restore professionalism across the 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, urging officers to reciprocate government’s support with discipline, patriotism and improved service delivery.

In what observers see as a major shift toward data-driven border management, Tunji-Ojo disclosed that the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) has inaugurated an Integrated Operating Centre (IOC) equipped with sophisticated surveillance and data harmonisation tools.

According to him, the centre provides real-time intelligence on foreigners who have overstayed their visas, with historical data covering up to a decade.

“With the kind of 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 declared.

The minister said the deployment of advanced analytics and harmonised databases has placed persons of interest squarely on government radar, reinforcing efforts to secure Nigeria’s borders and sanitise its migration system.

As part of ongoing reforms, he revealed that seven new Forward Operating Bases (FOBs) have been established to strengthen border surveillance and migration management nationwide. He commended the Comptroller-General of the NIS, Kemi Nanna Nandap, for what he described as visionary leadership in modernising the Service.

The minister also applauded the efforts of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), the Nigeria Correctional Service (NCoS), and the Federal Fire Service (FFS), but warned that commendation must not breed complacency.

He tasked the NSCDC with intensifying protection of critical national infrastructure, including oil pipelines, solid mineral sites, schools and hospitals, stressing that the corps “cannot be run like a volunteer service.” He urged its Commandant-General, Prof. Ahmed Audi, to submit a clear operational roadmap following his reappointment.

On correctional reforms, Tunji-Ojo insisted that efforts must go beyond custodial management to ensure rehabilitation and reintegration, warning that repeat offending signals systemic failure.

“If offenders complete their sentences and return to crime, then we have not succeeded,” he said.

Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Dr. Magdalene Ajani, described the retreat as a critical platform for reviewing stewardship and aligning performance with national priorities. She said the Ministry carries enormous responsibility in border management, citizenship administration and internal security, all of which directly affect the daily lives of Nigerians.

Ajani stressed the need to align operations with the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Tinubu, encouraging openness to constructive criticism and innovative thinking.

She expressed confidence that the retreat would produce a concrete roadmap to guide the Ministry’s agencies in delivering measurable results in the year ahead.

The dual announcement of mass promotions and high-tech border surveillance signals a government intent on pairing welfare reforms with operational efficiency — a strategy officials say is essential to strengthening Nigeria’s security framework in an era of complex internal and cross-border threats.

Nigeria Promotes 70,000 Paramilitary Officers, Deploys High-Tech Immigration Centre to Tighten Border Control