Tinubu Approves Lifetime Salaries for Retired Paramilitary Chiefs — Tunji-Ojo

President Bola Tinubu has approved lifetime salary benefits for retired Comptrollers-General and Deputy Comptrollers-General of the Nigeria Immigration Service and other paramilitary agencies, the Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, has disclosed.

Tunji-Ojo made the disclosure on Friday at the closing ceremony of the Specialised Border Control and Immigration Management System (BCIMS) training held at the Immigration Headquarters in Abuja.

The minister commended Tinubu for introducing measures aimed at improving the welfare of serving and retired personnel across agencies under the Ministry of Interior.

He said the President had also addressed longstanding promotion backlogs, increased recruitment and approved salary adjustments and additional allowances for personnel.

According to Tunji-Ojo, no fewer than 50,000 personnel had received promotions within three years, while recruitment had also been expanded to strengthen staffing across the services.

The minister said the administration had demonstrated its commitment to personnel welfare through improvements in salaries, hazard allowances and other benefits.

He recalled that retired Comptrollers-General of Immigration previously received pensions of about ₦130,000, describing the amount as inadequate.

“Previously, CGs had a pension of about N130,000, it was not encouraging. But what did the president do? He signed, and approved salary for life for CGs and DCGs,” he said.

The lifetime salary policy extends beyond the Immigration Service to senior retired officers of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Federal Fire Service and Nigerian Correctional Service.

The Federal Government announced the policy in August 2025, stating that it applied to officers retiring at the rank of Deputy Controller, Comptroller or Commandant-General and above.

Tunji-Ojo said the measures reflected the administration’s intention to establish lasting institutional reforms rather than focus solely on immediate achievements.

He added that Tinubu understood that government institutions would continue to operate beyond his tenure, making sustainable policies and effective service delivery essential.

The minister urged personnel to reciprocate the government’s efforts by performing their duties diligently and ensuring that Nigerians received improved services.

The policy forms part of broader government efforts to address retirement welfare concerns and strengthen career progression across the country’s paramilitary services.