Minister decorates CGI, 6 DCGs
By Mohammed Mohammed
Minister of Interior Dr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, on Wednesday said no country wins a war with defective local intelligence.
The Minister made the declaration during the 2024 budget defence session, before the National Assembly Joint Committee on Interior, in Abuja.
Speaking to the Joint Committee for the outgoing 2023 fiscal year, the Minister said any country that is secured depends on the veracity and integrity of intelligence available from its locals.
He said, “You can have the most equipped arm forces in the world, if its intelligence is defective definitely you cannot win the war.
While citing instances in the America, Afghanistan war, he said the US has the best of military equipment, but when the locals refused to give you the support there is very little you can do.
Tunji-Ojo, said when he became Minister of Interior, for the fact that he needed to have absolute control of the country’s border, he inaugurated an Inter- ministerial Committee on border management, comprising Federal Agencies and the border Communities to sep up infrastructures for their wellbeing, assured that the committee reports is almost ready.
He said some of these communities at the Nation’s borders are contiguous, adding that the children of that community attended schools in the neighboring countries and also sought for services from the foreign neighbours, to the extent the children only recite National anthem and pledge of those countries.
He warned that naturally the patriotism and loyalty of those communities would go to the foreign nations, at the detriment of Nigeria. He said their socio-economic and political lives of these people would adversely be influenced by the foreigners.
Present at the Budget defence were the Acting Permanent Secretary, Dr. Peter Egbodo, directors of various departments in the ministry, the Secretary of the Board Alhaji Jafar Ahmad, the CG- Nigeria Security and Civil Defence, Dr Abubakar Audi, CG Correctional Service, Haliru Nababa, CG-NIS, Caroline Wura-Ola Adepoju and CG-Federsl Fire Service, Engr Jaji O Abdulganiyu as well as the Management Staff of the ministry.
FG DECORATES CGI AND SIX DCGs
The Federal Government through the Minister has decorated the newly appointed Comptroller General of Nigeria Immigration Service; Adepoju Caroline Wura-ola (Mrs) alongside Six Deputy Comptroller General Immigration; Auna Usman, Usman Babangida, Zainab Lawal; Hassan Sadate; Emenike Ijeoma Chidi and Nandap Kemi Nanna for efficiency and service delivery towards the nation’s security.
The Minister appreciated the President of Nigeria for making the historical day a reality.
He commended the new CGI of hard work, dedication and perseverance that brought her to the higher level she found herself. The Minister in his words to the decorated women “you have successfully shattered the limitations of women folks, you are ready for equal opportunity to move forward”
The statement was made yesterday at the Board’s conference Room in Abuja during the decoration of the newly appointed Comptroller General and Deputy Comptroller General of Nigeria Immigration Service.
The Minister revealed that we will work as a team to review the whole system, you will be the eye opener of generation that are after you, you need to make the workers and the staff of the Nigeria service at the center of what we do, no matter the technology you deploy we do not make you who you aught to be and provide what you need to achieve what you want to achieve, securing the borders, securing the nation for you to achieve.
He added: “Your career and training on border control must be given priority a lots of Officers have not even had foreign training. I assure Nigeria Immigration that they must regain their pride”.
The Minister, encouraged the decorated Officers that “it is important and very key of what you intend to achieve, but Human Resources Management (HRM), It is not just about recruitment, you need to be innovative and knowledge transfer for Human Resource management to move forward.” he added “you need to have skills analysis and come out with recommendations to bridge the gap for optimum performance, any DCG that is not ready to work and meet up with the demand will receive their letter of resignation.”
He said Nigerians should sleep with their eyes closed, for you to discharge the constitutional responsibility which is the primary responsibility of the government; protection of lives and properties of the Citizen. Process are meant to regulate law not to change law.
Earlier, the Director Joint Services who is overseeing the office of the Permanent Secretary advised the newly decorated Comptroller Immigration (CGI) and the Deputy Comptroller General Immigration (DCGI) to work with the Minister to overcome the menace of insecurity for development in the country.
In his words: “Be a mentor to those that are coming behind you, let them see in you why they need to dedicate their lives to the service of the nation, and also those you have taken over from them; prove to them that you deserved this elevation”.
In her vote of thanks, Adepoju Caroline Wura-ola, said she is ready to work with the Minister of interior Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo for service delivery especially in the aspect of issuance of travel documents (passport), securing the nation and its borders and to make Immigration better than they met it.