Nigeria's Interior Minister, Dr Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, has issued a stern warning to security agencies under his ministry, declaring that excuses will no longer be accepted as the government intensifies efforts to tackle the nation's security challenges.
Surprise Inspection Reveals Mixed Preparedness
During an unannounced assessment tour on Thursday, the minister visited the Federal Capital Territory Command of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) and the Federal Fire Service (FFS) station in Wuse Zone 3, Abuja. The inspection revealed varying levels of preparedness among the paramilitary services.
The minister emphasized that President Bola Tinubu has given clear directives to completely overhaul operations across all agencies under the Interior Ministry. "The president is putting all hands on deck to make sure that we have a safe Nigeria," Tunji-Ojo stated during his visit.
NSCDC Training Facility Receives Praise
At the NSCDC's ongoing training ground project in Abuja, the minister expressed satisfaction with the corps' efforts to strengthen capacity against emerging threats. He particularly commended the new facility for arms guard training, describing it as evidence of forward-thinking preparation.
"Paramilitary service is about constant and effective training and capacity building," Tunji-Ojo noted. "The FCT command seems to be up and doing and I am happy with the training centre. You can only give what you have."
Fire Service Faces Urgent Corrective Action
The Federal Fire Service station in Wuse, however, drew the minister's disappointment. While he chose not to disclose specific concerns publicly, he promised immediate action to address the identified lapses.
"I have expressed my views on what things I am not too comfortable with," the minister revealed. "These are issues that must never happen again. The fire service is a rescue service agency and a rescue service agency is meant to be prepared for emergency at all times."
Tunji-Ojo confirmed he would take up the matters directly with the FFS Controller General to ensure prompt correction and prevent recurrence.
Nationwide Unannounced Inspections to Continue
The minister disclosed that unscheduled inspections would become a regular feature across the country to assess real-time service delivery. This approach aims to provide genuine insight into the quality of services Nigerians receive from security agencies.
"We want to see things the way they are," Tunji-Ojo explained. "To see the sort of service that Nigerians are getting cut across all our agencies. A good service is not good enough for Nigerians but only best of services."
The Interior Minister's tough stance comes as the Tinubu administration continues its push to strengthen Nigeria's security architecture amid ongoing challenges across various regions of the country.
