“Tinubu Replaces Fire Service Boss Amid Recruitment Scandal and Internal Protests”

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has reportedly removed the Comptroller General of the Federal Fire Service (FFS), Abdulganiyu Olayiwola Jaji, ahead of his scheduled retirement in August 2025. In his place, Deputy Comptroller General (DCG) Olumode Samuel Adeyemi, who hails from Kogi State, has been appointed as the new head of the paramilitary agency.

Though yet to be formally announced at press time, the report, first broken by Sahara Reporters, suggests the decision was prompted not only by administrative succession but also by mounting controversies surrounding Jaji’s leadership.

Jaji, who was appointed by former President Muhammadu Buhari on April 22, 2022, has faced growing criticism in recent months. His tenure, while marked by infrastructural improvements and operational restructuring, has also been shadowed by internal unrest, culminating in serious allegations of illegal recruitment just weeks before the reported leadership change.

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President Tinubu’s Pick: The ‘P’ of Personnel Politics

DCG Adeyemi, Tinubu’s appointee to lead the FFS, has spent decades rising through the ranks. His promotion is seen by some insiders as a return to professional meritocracy within the service, in contrast to the political patronage alleged to have marred recent personnel decisions under Jaji’s watch.

Adeyemi previously served under Jaji and was seen as a stabilizing figure within the administration and logistics wing of the Fire Service. Sources close to the presidency suggest that Adeyemi’s clean record, combined with his regional ties, played a role in his selection.

The strategic reshuffling comes at a time when the agency is grappling with internal dissension, administrative scrutiny, and growing public interest in how Nigeria’s paramilitary bodies are managed.

Controversy Erupts Over Recruitment Process

The move to replace Jaji comes on the heels of a bombshell petition made public on Tuesday, July 29, 2025. In an open letter addressed to Minister of Interior Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo and the Secretary of the Civil Defence, Correctional, Fire and Immigration Services Board (CDCFIB), Gen. A.M. Jibril (Rtd), a group of anonymous officers under the banner “Concerned Personnel of the Federal Fire Service” accused Jaji of conducting an “illegal and unjustifiable recruitment exercise.”

The letter, dated July 28, 2025, accuses the outgoing Comptroller General of fast-tracking the lateral recruitment of politically affiliated individuals into mid-level management roles—specifically Grade Levels 10 to 14—just weeks before his expected retirement.

According to the petitioners, such actions violate the CDCFIB’s 2013 Guidelines on Transfer of Service, which strictly prohibit lateral entry into paramilitary bodies, particularly technical agencies like the FFS. The group stressed that such shortcuts compromise the service’s operational integrity and pose a significant threat to public safety.

“The FFS is a technical agency that demands years of rigorous training and field experience, which cannot be substituted with political patronage,” the letter stated emphatically.

They warned that unless the controversial recruitment is immediately suspended, legal and industrial actions would be pursued. The personnel further demanded that the Interior Ministry investigate the claims thoroughly and uphold due process in the interest of national security and institutional credibility.

Leadership Transition Under Fire

Abdulganiyu Jaji’s career began in 1991 as a Higher Technical Officer at the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing. He transitioned into the Federal Fire Service in 1999, where he served in various capacities before ascending to the top post in 2022. During his tenure, he focused on modernization, equipment upgrades, and regional expansion of fire stations.

However, the allegations of procedural breaches in recruitment have significantly clouded his exit, raising broader questions about accountability, transparency, and reform in Nigeria’s paramilitary agencies.

With President Tinubu’s administration already under pressure from various sectors calling for institutional reform, the early removal of Jaji and the appointment of Adeyemi may be interpreted as a strategic effort to cleanse the ranks and re-establish public trust in the Federal Fire Service.

As Nigerians await the official confirmation of Adeyemi’s appointment, attention will turn to whether the new leadership can deliver on the promise of restoring discipline, ensuring professionalism, and eliminating favoritism within the ranks.