The Federal Government has approved the relocation of 29 Prisons, including Ikoyi and Suleja prisons cross the country due to urbanisation.
The Minister of Interior, Dr Tunji-Ojo, disclosed this on Thursday at the 2025 Ministerial Press briefing in Abuja said
He said:”This president has approved the relocation of 29. It is not just today that one prison started being inside the market.”
He said that his ministry has blocked revenue leakages through automation of processes thereby increasing the internally generated revenue (IGR) by over 150%.
He put monies generated through expatriate quota, marriage services, citizenship and place of worship in 2024 to the tune of 6,034,457,000.
The minister, who spoke on the achievements of his ministry in the past one year said it has ensured that foreign applicants who applied for Nigerian Citizenship are genuinely scrutinized before being granted Nigerian Citizenship.
He disclosed various feats achieved by the four Para-Military Services, Agencies, Commissions and a Board namely: Nigeria Correctional Service NCoS);Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS);Federal Fire Service (FFS);
Nigeria Security & Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC); National Identity Management Commission (NIMC);Civil Defence, Correctional, Fire & Immigration Services Board (CDCFIB) under the purview of his ministry.
Under the Nigerian Correctional Service, he said his ministry secured Presidential approval for the recruitment of 5000 Personnel to boost the Nigerian Correctional Service’s workforce; approval for the recruitment of 100 Nurses and 50 Medical Doctors to improve inmates’ medical well being; as well as the posting of NYSC Medical corps members to the Custodial Centres.
He disclosed that over 3,000 Senior and Junior Correctional Officers were promoted in 2024.
“3,030 Inmates were rehabilitated between July and December, 2024 in various vocational skills including: carpentry, tailoring, poultry, fishery, hairdressing and others,” he said.
Under NIS, he said outlined some of the successes in the border governance to include efficient surveillance of the borders; strengthening the territorial integrity of the country towards enhancement of national security,
Establishment of the Command-and-Control Centre, deployment of Advance Passenger Information System (APIS)/ Passenger Name Record (PNR) as well as the installation of e-Gates at International Airports among others.
The minister said it has cleared over 200,000 backlogs of Passport applications and sustained supply of adequate Passport Booklets as well as the establishment of additional Passport Front Offices and also roll-out of enhanced e-Passport at various missions abroad.
On efforts to combate the menace of illegal mining activities, he said the NSCDC Mining Marshals have arrested 307, with a total of 215 cases being handled just as 133 cases being prosecuted.
According to the minister, as parts of efforts to enhance NSCDC operations, the Federal Government has procured close to 100 operational vehicles for the Corps.
He stressed that the FFS has undertaken comprehensive measures to modernize and enhance its firefighting capabilities for more efficiency.
He said that the responsibility of Federal Fire Service goes beyond firefighting but as first responders the government is committed, through the remodeling of the NFA, to equip the Service for not just the Nigeria Market but to also make it an exporter of rescue knowledge to the rest of Africa.
Earlier, the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris reaffirmed the commitment of the President Bola Tinubu of upholding press freedom.
“This administration believes that a free and responsible press is essential for good governance, transparency, and national development.
“I want to re-emphasize that President Tinubu, as a foremost democrat, is fully committed to protecting the constitutionally guaranteed rights of all Nigerians, and also encourages constructive criticism and healthy opposition because of their essential role in reinforcing and deepening our democratic framework.”