President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved the replacement of the Comptroller General (CG) of the Federal Fire Service (FFS), Abdulganiyu O. Jaji, ahead of his scheduled retirement on August 13, 2025. His deputy, Deputy Comptroller General Olumode Samuel Adeyemi, from Kogi State, has been named as his successor.
A formal announcement confirming Adeyemi’s appointment as the new CG is expected to be made on Wednesday.
Jaji, appointed by former President Muhammadu Buhari in April 2022, started his public service career in 1991 as a Higher Technical Officer in the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing before transferring to the Federal Fire Service in 1999. He previously served as Deputy Comptroller General in charge of Administration and Supplies.
Controversy Ahead of Exit
Jaji’s final days in office have been marred by allegations of illegal recruitment. A group identifying as "Concerned Personnel of the Federal Fire Service" raised concerns over a purported recruitment exercise targeting mid-level positions (Grade Levels 10–14), accusing the outgoing CG of attempting to plant loyalists into key positions before his departure.
In an open letter dated July 28, 2025, addressed to Minister of Interior Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo and CDCFIB Secretary Gen. A.M. Jibril (Rtd), the group described the recruitment as a breach of CDCFIB's 2013 Guidelines, which prohibit lateral entry into paramilitary agencies.
Alleged Breach of Protocol
The petitioners warned that the recruitment exercise would lead to overstaffing, redundancy, and waste of resources. They cited official data showing no vacancies in the targeted grades for 2025:
- GL 10: 645 personnel
- GL 11: 495 personnel
- GL 12: 230 personnel
They also claimed that qualified internal candidates have been sidelined from promotion to GL 13 and 14.
“This attempt to marginalise qualified personnel and impose loyalists is unjust and demoralising,” the letter stated. “It endangers national safety and undermines the integrity of the Fire Service.”
Threat of Legal Action
The protesting officers warned that failure to address the alleged infractions could lead to industrial unrest. They threatened to pursue legal action and report the issue to anti-corruption agencies if immediate action is not taken.
As the service undergoes a leadership transition, all eyes remain on the federal government’s response to the grievances and how the new Comptroller General, Olumode Samuel Adeyemi, will steer the Fire Service forward.
