President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has endorsed an eighteen-month extension of service for the Comptroller General of the Nigeria Immigration Service, Kemi Nandap, and the Controller General of the Nigerian Correctional Service, Sylvester Nwakuche.

The development was made public on Monday through an official statement from the Presidential Villa, which affirmed that the two paramilitary chiefs would stay beyond their earlier exit dates.

Based on the new approval, Sylvester Nwakuche who heads the Nigerian Correctional Service is expected to remain in charge until the 26th of May, 2028.

In the same vein, Kemi Nandap who leads the Nigeria Immigration Service will continue to occupy her office till June 30, 2028.

The implication is that both top officers have been granted an extra one and a half years to steer the affairs of their agencies after the expiration of their initial terms.

The Presidency disclosed that the elongation of their tenures was sequel to a proposal put forward by the Minister of Interior, Dr Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo.

It was learnt that the Minister recommended the tenure extension as a measure to prevent a break in leadership and to avoid a vacuum in the command structure of the services.

Dr Tunji-Ojo was said to have told the President that the extension had become necessary to give the governing boards of both agencies ample time to identify and appoint new heads.

He argued that an abrupt change of leadership could create administrative gaps and destabilize the reforms currently being pursued in the two services.

The Minister maintained that allowing more time would enable a seamless and orderly transition process that would guarantee stability and sustained progress in both organizations.

Sources within the Presidency revealed that the boards of the Correctional Service and Immigration Service will utilize the additional period to begin and complete the process of selecting suitable replacements for the incumbents.

It was also gathered that President Tinubu gave thorough consideration to the Minister’s advice before assenting to it, with emphasis on preserving operational effectiveness and cohesion within the internal security sector.

While approving the extension, President Tinubu applauded Nwakuche and Nandap for the reforms and innovations introduced under their watch.

The President observed that the two chiefs have demonstrated exemplary leadership, competence and a strong drive to reposition their agencies for better performance.

In the Nigerian Correctional Service under Nwakuche, noticeable steps have been taken to address overcrowding in custodial centers, improve the living conditions of inmates and strengthen programmes for reformation, rehabilitation and reintegration of offenders.

He has also been acknowledged for advocating improved facilities in correctional centers across the country and for promoting capacity building for officers of the service.

For Kemi Nandap, who is among the few women to have led the Nigeria Immigration Service, her administration has brought significant changes to passport issuance, border control and migration management.

Her leadership has led to enhanced efficiency in passport processing, with deliberate efforts to shorten waiting time, curb racketeering and enthrone accountability in service delivery.

She has equally driven the adoption of modern technology to tighten border surveillance and to upgrade immigration operations at airports, seaports and land border posts.

President Tinubu stated that he is satisfied with the milestones recorded so far by the two agencies and encouraged the heads to build upon the achievements.

The President tasked them to leverage the extended tenure to intensify ongoing transformation efforts, reinforce institutional structures and boost the quality of services rendered to citizens.

He further enjoined them to sustain collaboration with the Ministry of Interior and other security formations in order to consolidate national security and internal order.

Tinubu expressed optimism that the additional months would provide the two officials the opportunity to finish major projects they initiated and to prepare a solid ground for incoming leadership.

He also appealed to personnel of both the Immigration and Correctional Services to give maximum cooperation to their heads and to discharge their responsibilities with loyalty, professionalism and patriotism.

Reacting to the development, some security analysts and stakeholders have welcomed the President’s decision, describing it as a strategic move to ensure continuity and avoid administrative disruption.

According to them, the extension will create room for a well-thought-out, transparent and merit-based process that will produce credible successors capable of sustaining the reforms in both agencies.