By Isiaka Mustapha, Editor-in-Chief, People’s Security Monitor

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved an additional 18 months in office for the Controller General of the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS), Sylvester Ndidi Nwakuche, and the Comptroller General of the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), Kemi Nanna Nandap.The extension will keep Nwakuche in office until May 26, 2028, while Nandap is expected to remain in office until June 30, 2028.

The approval was announced on Monday in a statement issued by Bayo Onanuga, the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy.According to the statement, the decision followed a recommendation by the Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji Ojo, to prevent a leadership vacuum in both agencies and provide their governing boards with sufficient time to appoint successors.

The President commended the two service chiefs for the reforms recorded under their leadership and charged them to consolidate the gains achieved.Nwakuche was nominated by President Tinubu as Controller General of the Nigerian Correctional Service in December 2024, while the Senate confirmed his appointment in March 2025.Similarly, Nandap was nominated as Comptroller General of the Nigeria Immigration Service on February 21, 2024, and received Senate confirmation on March 1, 2024.The extension is expected to provide continuity in the administration of both services as they carry out their statutory responsibilities in correctional management, border security, migration control and the enforcement of immigration regulations.

The Nigerian Correctional Service is responsible for the custody, rehabilitation and reintegration of offenders, while the Nigeria Immigration Service oversees the movement of people across Nigeria’s borders, passport administration and other immigration related functions.The decision also places renewed responsibility on both service chiefs to sustain institutional reforms, strengthen operational efficiency and improve service delivery throughout the extended period.