By Inegbenose Prevail
The Senate Committee on Interior has proposed legal safeguards to prevent qualified senior officers of the Federal Fire Service from being bypassed in the appointment of the Controller-General, warning that such decisions could force them into premature retirement.
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Chairman of the committee, Senator Adams Oshiomhole, made the proposal on Tuesday, October 27, 2026, during the consideration of a bill seeking to repeal the existing Fire Service Act and establish a new legal framework for the service.
Oshiomhole argued that the proposed legislation should give serving Deputy Controllers-General priority in the appointment of the Controller-General, except where objective circumstances render them ineligible.
He said appointing a junior officer to the position could compel more senior personnel to retire prematurely, even when they had not attained the statutory retirement age or completed their years of service.
The senator maintained that the law should promote fairness, merit and international best practices rather than preserve administrative practices simply because they had become established.
He noted that where several Deputy Controllers-General were serving in the Federal Fire Service, it was reasonable to expect that at least one would be qualified to succeed an outgoing Controller-General.
Oshiomhole therefore proposed that the President should ordinarily appoint the Controller-General from among serving Deputy Controllers-General, with exceptions clearly defined by law.
He also questioned a provision permitting the President to appoint the Controller-General from among serving officers not below the rank of Assistant Controller-General, arguing that the arrangement could undermine seniority and create uncertainty over career progression.
According to him, the legislation should establish objective conditions for departing from the seniority principle rather than leave the appointing authority with unrestricted discretion.
The committee chairman acknowledged that similar practices existed in other security institutions, including the police and military, but stressed that their existence did not automatically justify incorporating them into the new law.
During the meeting, a retired military officer on the committee asked whether the Federal Fire Service operated an age-or-rank rule similar to that of the military, under which officers could be required to leave the service when a junior officer was promoted above them.
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In response, the committee was informed that an officer appointed as Controller-General must have at least 18 months remaining before retirement. Officers who do not meet the requirement may serve in an acting capacity but cannot be appointed substantively.
The committee also examined provisions relating to the disclosure of official information and the confidentiality obligations of Federal Fire Service personnel.
The proposed legislation requires officers and personnel to protect information obtained in the course of their official duties and prohibits its use for personal or unauthorised purposes.
However, it provides exceptions for disclosures required by a court of competent jurisdiction or permitted under the law, while preserving citizens’ rights of access to information under the Freedom of Information Act and other applicable legislation.
Oshiomhole cautioned against using confidentiality provisions to undermine transparency, citizens’ rights and public accountability.
He stressed that the proposed law must remain consistent with the Constitution and existing legislation while protecting legitimate official information.
The committee chairman also questioned a proposed general penalty for violations of provisions of the bill where no specific punishment had been prescribed.
The provision stipulates a fine of N200,000, imprisonment for two months, or both, upon conviction.
Lawmakers further considered the proposed repeal of the existing Fire Service Act and the need to address the legal status of actions taken under the current legislation to ensure a smooth transition to the new framework.
The Controller-General of the Federal Fire Service, Olumode Samuel Adeyemi, represented the service at the meeting, where its management expressed appreciation to the committee for its work.
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Oshiomhole said the committee would subject the bill to further scrutiny, including a review of provisions requiring additional clarification, to ensure that the final legislation was clear, fair and effective.
He emphasised the need for lawmakers to avoid rushing the process, noting that a thorough examination of the proposed provisions was essential to producing a law that would serve the interests of the service, its personnel and the public.