‘Interior Minister Cleared 200,000 Passports, Created 30,000 Jobs’

The Minister of Interior, Dr Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, has marked two years in office with sweeping reforms, including clearing over 200,000 passport backlogs and approving 30,000 new jobs across the paramilitary services.

A youth and political leader in the Niger Delta, Comrade Darlington Nwauju, who is also spokesperson of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers State, described the minister’s scorecard as “superlative performance” and a model for service delivery.

Nwauju, in a statement yesterday, said the Interior Ministry under Tunji-Ojo had “shattered several glass ceilings,” moving from being a ministry once associated mainly with public holiday announcements to one delivering tangible reforms in security, welfare, and national service.

According to him, in the last two years, the Minister has overseen the promotion of over 100,000 officers in paramilitary agencies, improved the welfare of inmates in 246 correctional centres, and facilitated the release of over 4,000 inmates serving avoidable jail terms. This, he noted, was achieved by mobilising ₦585 million from corporate bodies to pay fines on behalf of indigent inmates.

The APC chieftain further highlighted the establishment of ultra-modern furniture, leather, and shoe factories for inmates as part of rehabilitation and skills acquisition programmes, remodelling the Fire Service Academy, and setting up a Paramilitary Academy.

On immigration reforms, Nwauju pointed to introducing enhanced e-passport facilities in Europe, launching contactless biometric passports, and centralising the passport process as key milestones.

He also credited the Minister with creating a Civil Defence Mining Marshal, reportedly raising revenue from ₦6 billion to ₦48 billion in the mining sector.

“Only recently, the Minister secured presidential approval to employ 30,000 Nigerians into the paramilitary agencies under his watch. He has served as the number one ambassador of the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Tinubu,” Nwauju said.

He maintained that Tunji-Ojo’s record had set performance benchmarks that would inspire a new generation of leaders.

“On behalf of thousands of young visionary Nigerians, I salute the Minister for making the younger generation proud. His two years in office are a testament to patriotism, innovation, and frugal management of resources,” he added.