By ABDUL TALBA DINGISHI

The Nigerian Ministry of Interior the supposed pivot for monitoring, supervising and maintaining Internal Security both as a Ministry and among its Departments and Agencies namely NIS, NSCDC, FFS, NCS and NIMC has failed to deliver on its mandate.

As a curious and patriotic Nigerian, seeing the Internal Security issues on the increase daily, I tried to examine whether the Minister of Interior Tunji-Ojo really has a driving force and focus for the job he was assigned. Alas, a glossary of the Ministry?s website will expose his weakness and lack of focus, starting with info@interior.gov.ng

The first Information that will welcome you is the short biography of the Minister Tunji-Ojo not even the Ministry, ?born 1st May 1982, is an accomplished business management and consulting executive with over 17 years experience across public and private sectors?.

Followed by the skeletal activities of the Ministry, the first being Visa Policy, second Ministry?s Projects, thirdly Nigeria Immigration Online Services and Fourth Citizenship and Business Department Online Services, no mention of the roles and duties of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps (NSCDC), Federal Fire Service (FFS), Nigerian Correctional Service (NCS) otherwise Prison Service as it was then known.

And the newly acquired National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) brings to bare this thought.

The Minister lacks focus and as it was stated in his brief biography he is a business manager and consulting executive not a Technocrat and Administrator required to Manage and Oversee a tasking Ministry like the Interior Ministry, the heart of many nations security architecture otherwise known as Homeland Security.

As one that is interested in Security, I found a wrong person on the saddle of the Ministry of Interior, his energy and concentration on Immigration Services ranging from Passport Issuance and Administration, Passport Processing and Production, Timeline on Passport delivery and making Passport Contactless, e-border, e-gate among the ancillary duties of the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), this is the duty of the Head appointed for NIS to administer.

The Minister is to make policy and supervise not to implement, here is a policy maker turned implementing, becoming a judge in his case, it is disheartening and not talking well of a renewed hope agenda of this government, and not his core supervisory duties for the five(5)agencies, it depicts his knowledge of his assignment.

He neglected NSCDC, FFS, NCS and NIMC in his official website opening page, it is indicative of lack of focus and knowledge of core tasks that would have enhanced Internal Security and not mundane services like Passport Issuance and Administration, e-border, e-gate which is the duty of the appointed Comptroller General of Immigration service or whoever is the appointed in charge of NIS.

The Milking Cow, (NIS), has become his number one office, but forgetting the vital Internal Security roles of others, at the detriment of the nation.

The Correctional Service has suffered incessant jail breaks and escape of inmates, without follow up to re-arrest, no update as to those re-arrested and no pictures of those that escaped.

It is an indication of a failed appointee, if by now, Tunji-Ojo does not know that the escaped prisoners were part of the insecurity and recruits he contributed to banditry, insurgents and other criminal elements increasing our security challenges in Nigeria.

He should be told that the security architecture of Nigeria is defined in such a way that failure from a sector affects others, while other Ministers focused on supervising Defence, Foreign Affairs, Humanitarian, Information, Police Affairs and Digital Economy and concentrating on core values and mandates of their respective Ministries, he is busy consulting for Immigration Service in Passport and E-gate, a project he knows nothing or little about.

He Is thereby depriving the Comptroller-General the ability to work as a professional with focus, rather confusing the Comptroller-General with contracts and businesses instead of Operations and Administration.

Every patriotic Nigerian knows that the NIS has not delivered on its mandate to Nigerians under the watch of Tunji-Ojo as well the Comptroller General of Immigration Service, same with NSCDC, FFS, Correctional and NIMC.

These are systems that operates seamlessly before his appointment as Minister of Interior. My question is, does he actually accounts for his stewardship as a Minister of Interior? Or is he being assessed on his mandates as a Minister of Interior, and not on the platform of services under the Ministry? For a fact, this is not normal!

The Minister, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, has taken over as spokesperson for the services and assumed the position of the Chief Executives of those agencies and turned to rubber stamp in Operations and Administration!

His Excellency, President Bola Tinubu should immediately direct his aides, in charge of Monitoring of performance of his Ministers, to beam full search lights on the Issues bothering on interference, accountability, probity, highhandedness, caging of the heads of agencies under the Ministry.

Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo is not giving them (NSCDC, FFS, Correctional and NIMC) free hand to operate and turning every opportunity to business. Nigeria and its Citizens are watching keenly!

Mr President needs to act now, for the purpose of separation of power as stipulated in the constitution. Tunji-Ojo is not bigger than the Constitution!!

The Internal Security of the country has leakages and abuses through the Ministry of Interior. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo needs to be checked out for he will do better as a Contractor outside government.

Less we forget his complicity in the Beta Edus case at the Humanitarian Ministry, his company?s involvement and his personal confession on national television. Enough is Enough!

God Fatherism is not enough to Compromise Nigerias Internal Security. Nigerians are groaning for lapses coming from appointees like Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo in the Ministry of Interior.

?Abdul Talba Dingishi writes from Abuja.

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