The Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, has said that Nigeria’s borders are now better protected, attributing the progress to President Bola Tinubu’s commitment to strengthening national security.
Tunji-Ojo spoke on Sunday in Lagos at the Theatre Arts and Motion Picture Practitioners Association of Nigeria Professional and Empowerment Summit 2025.
At the summit, themed “The Right Man in Governance: Advancing Mr President’s Renewed Hope Agenda,” the minister was honoured as TAMPAN Man of the Year in recognition of his performance in office.
The minister, who was represented by a former Ondo State Commissioner, Dayo Awude, said the Ministry of Interior had recorded significant improvements under the Tinubu administration in line with the Renewed Hope Agenda.
He listed prison reforms, strengthened border security architecture, the installation of e-gates at major airports, and innovations in passport administration as key milestones.
According to him, the ministry has also cleared about 200,000 passport application backlogs, a development he described as a major boost to public confidence in service delivery.
“I just cited the issue of passports as an example. That is how we all can see, we all can feel. The Honourable Minister has done much more than that.
“Today, if you go to our airport in Lagos, the MM2, we have the e-gates. If you go to Abuja, we have the e-gates. You don’t have to have any contact with any immigration officer harassing you and asking you questions unnecessarily.
“As long as you’re a citizen and you have your passport, just scan it, then you go. I think that is the way to go. Of course, our borders are better protected today.
“The correctional facilities are better than before. He has done well in every sector,” he said.
Responding to questions on the clearance of the 200,000 passports, he said the challenge was inherited from the previous administration but had to be tackled because “it ought not to be.”
“Well, it was the previous administration, definitely. I think somebody then did not do his job, or could not do his job, or did not have what was required to do that job.
“And when the young man came, he was able to demonstrate that, no, we can get this done. And he did it,” he said.
