Nigerian Interior Minister Tunji-Ojo Decries Chronic Underfunding of Police Force

 Nigeria’s Minister of Interior, Dr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, has sounded the alarm over the severe underfunding of the Nigeria Police Force, warning that inadequate budgets are undermining the country’s internal security. Speaking at the National Security Dialogue organized by the House of Representatives in Abuja on Monday, June 16, Tunji-Ojo described the police’s reliance on meager allocations as unsustainable for a nation of 240 million people, the most populous Black country on Earth.

“The funding model of the police is a joke,” Tunji-Ojo declared. “How can a police force serving 240 million people depend on a capital budget that’s barely enough to maintain basic operations? We’re talking about a nation with 1.2 billion people in Africa, and 20% of that is Nigeria. Yet, our police rely on allocations that can’t even cover modern equipment or training.” He highlighted the 2025 budget, noting that the Nigeria Immigration Service, another agency under his ministry, received less than ₦10 billion for capital expenditure, insufficient to secure Nigeria’s 4,024 square kilometers of borders. This, he argued, reflects a broader neglect of internal security institutions.

Tunji-Ojo, a former House of Representatives member and ICT expert, criticized the overdependence on the military for internal security, calling it a sign of systemic failure. “The military is overstretched because our police and other agencies lack the resources to function effectively,” he said. “When you kill one terrorist, 20 more cross our porous borders because we don’t have the tools to stop them.” He also slammed Nigeria’s outdated cybersecurity framework, noting that the country’s ad-hoc approach is “20 years behind” global standards, leaving it vulnerable to cyber threats.

The minister’s remarks come amid rising insecurity, with kidnappings, banditry, and insurgencies plaguing regions like the North-West and South-East. In 2024, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, under Tunji-Ojo’s oversight, reported over 1,000 attacks on farmers and miners, critical to food and economic security. Tunji-Ojo called for a radical overhaul of security funding, urging lawmakers to prioritize police modernization. “Do we want a system that works, or are we just playing to the gallery?” he asked, advocating for a self-sustaining funding model, such as public-private partnerships or dedicated levies.

Since assuming office in August 2023, Tunji-Ojo has earned praise for reforms, including clearing 200,000 passport backlogs and introducing a contactless passport renewal system. However, his tenure has faced scrutiny over alleged ties to a ₦438 million contract scandal, which he denies. At the dialogue, he reiterated his commitment to transparency, citing his ministry’s ₦6 billion revenue generation in 2024 from services like expatriate quotas and citizenship applications.