FG approves promotion of 24,202 paramilitary officers

The Federal Government has approved the promotion of 24,202 personnel across the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS), Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), Federal Fire Service (FFS) and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC).

The promotions were announced by the Civil Defence, Correctional, Fire and Immigration Services Board (CDCFIB) after a meeting chaired by Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, Minister of Interior.

Abdulmalik Jibril, Secretary to the Board, noted that the officers were elevated after successfully completing the 2025 second-batch promotion examinations.

Jibril said the move reflects President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which places strong emphasis on personnel welfare, motivation and career progression for frontline security officers.

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“This promotion is a major morale booster for our officers. Mr. President places great importance on the well-being of security personnel, and this exercise is to further encourage those who sacrifice daily to keep our country safe,” he said.

He noted that promotions in the nation’s paramilitary services had suffered years of stagnation, a situation the current administration has deliberately worked to reverse.

Since assuming office, he said, the government has prioritised restoring career progression and boosting the morale of officers confronting Nigeria’s evolving security threats.

A breakdown of the newly promoted officers shows that the Nigerian Correctional Service topped the list with 11,426 elevations.

The Nigerian Immigration Service recorded 4,336 promotions, the Federal Fire Service had 2,581 officers promoted, while the NSCDC accounted for 5,859 elevations.

Explaining the process behind the exercise, Jibril said the promotion covered the 2024/2025 cycle, noting that examination timelines sometimes overlap depending on operational constraints within each agency.

He stressed that the Board only approves candidates who are cleared by the Appointment and Promotion Committee.

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“Before names reach the Board, the Committee reviews examination results, checks candidates’ records, and filters out officers with pending disciplinary issues who are not eligible to participate in the exercise,” he explained.

The Board’s final approval was given at a session attended by the Minister of Interior, as well as the Controllers-General and Commandants-General of the four paramilitary agencies.

Jibril revealed that the promotion portal would go live by midnight or early Monday morning. He acknowledged minor technical hitches but assured that the ICT team was working to resolve them quickly.

“There were minor technical hitches, but I assure you that before the end of today, the ICT team will resolve all issues and open the portal,” he said.

Applicants were advised to keep checking the portal as access remains intermittent. Jibril expressed confidence that the system would be fully functional before daybreak once all fixes are completed.

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