Reactions to Tuesday’s spectacular altercation between Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister Nyesom Wike and a military commander during an enforcement drill in Abuja were varied.
According to reports, a video clip that has gone viral on the Internet shows the Minister arguing angrily with several soldiers about access to a property inside the region.
The conflict started when Wike and representatives of the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) tried to enter a contested area of land that was purportedly connected to Vice Admiral Awwal Zubairu Gambo (rtd), a former Chief of Naval Staff.
In the video, Wike is seen arguing angrily with uniformed troops stationed at the location, claiming that the developers did not have proper building approval or ownership. The minister became obviously enraged when one of the soldiers disobeyed his order, yelling:
“Don’t talk! Be silent! You are ignorant. When I graduated, you were still in elementary school. Who are you sending soldiers to intimidate? We’re all from this nation. You would have to kill everyone here if it weren’t for the CDS who just talked to me.
Since then, the video has sparked public discussion on the soldier’s and the minister’s actions.
Wike’s detractors contend that his strategy demonstrated a lack of self-control and regard for institutional order, while his supporters praise his determination and zero tolerance for criminality.
Wike responds.
Following the event, Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister Nyesom Wike issued a statement denouncing what he called an unlawful seizure of a disputed piece of property in Abuja by military forces purportedly acting on orders from a previous Chief of Naval Staff.
Wike called the behavior “lawless and unacceptable” in a Facebook post by his media assistant, Lere Olayinka, emphasizing that no one, regardless of position, would be permitted to impede the implementation of Abuja’s development legislation.
“The Land Departments and Development Control have been tasked with keeping an eye on land grabbing and illegal development,” he stated. “As there were no legal paperwork or approvals, I ordered that nothing should happen there when this situation was brought to my attention. Regretfully, our officials were driven out by military.
Following rumors that military had once more returned to prevent FCTA officers from conducting lawful enforcement, Wike claimed to have personally visited the location.
He remarked, “I don’t understand how someone who once held such a high office can’t come to the FCT Minister to explain his situation and instead uses soldiers to intimidate people.” “I refuse to be intimidated or subjected to blackmail.”
The minister went on to say that neither ownership documentation nor building approval were provided by the developers.
“They have no documents, no authorizations, nothing. How can we allow lawlessness to continue? What about regular Nigerians who lack military support?
The Chief of Defense Staff and the Chief of Naval Staff, according to Wike, have already been contacted and have pledged to deal with the matter.
“We are not here to create mayhem or engage in a firefight with anyone. But I’m not going to let this happen. No one will be permitted to engage in unlawful development on government land, even past Chiefs of Naval Staff.
He reiterated his commitment to reestablishing accountability and order in Abuja’s land management while cautioning that the FCTA would keep reclaiming encroached areas “no matter how powerful the individuals involved.”
APC chief demands the firing of the officer
Joe Igbokwe, a leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), demanded disciplinary action against the soldier who had a verbal altercation with Wike in response to the conflict.
Igbokwe demanded that the soldier’s uniform “be removed” for what he called an act of insubordination in a Facebook post expressing his fury over the altercation.
“Who is this man in the uniform? He is given what kind of meat? For him, who is drumming? This is not appropriate. “His uniform must be taken off,” Igbokwe wrote.
Wike overreached himself. Chidoka, a former minister of aviation
But Osita Chidoka, a former minister of aviation, disagreed, criticizing Wike’s strategy and charging him with abusing his power.
In a statement headlined “Minister Wike: Power, Process, and the Rule of Law,” Chidoka called the FCT Minister’s choice to personally carry out an order “a fundamental misstep.”
“The President and the Nigerian state’s sovereignty are represented by every law enforcement official, whether they are dressed in uniform or not. According to Chidoka, “abusing such an officer is to diminish the authority of the Republic itself.”
He maintained that established institutions, not their own desires, should guide ministers’ actions.
If the officers had been operating illegally, a written letter to the Minister of Defense would have been sufficient. He continued, “Trading words with a uniformed officer undermines discipline and distorts hierarchy.”
Chidoka also expressed disapproval of Wike’s DSS security aides’ actions, claiming that their job was to reduce, not increase, tensions.
He described the incident as “a cautionary tale” about authority, procedure, and restraint in public service. “Their responsibility was to extract their principal from a potentially dangerous situation, not to escalate it,” he said.
Shehu Sani: Wike shouldn’t perform feats with soldiers.
Shehu Sani, a former senator from Kaduna, warned Wike not to engage in “performative confrontations” with security guards.
“Wike is doing a great job in Abuja, but he shouldn’t be encouraged to do this kind of stunt with soldiers,” Sani wrote in a post on X.
Veterans of the armed forces denounce Wike, make an apology.
A group of Nigerian military veterans, however, also denounced the minister’s outburst, claiming that he had insulted a uniformed officer and compromised the honor of state institutions.
The Coalition of Military Veterans claimed in a statement from its spokeswoman, Abiodun Durowaiye-Herberts, that Wike’s remarks were inappropriate for a public figure.
“How is it possible for a minister to publicly brand an officer “a fool”? Durowaiye-Herberts enquired. “Instead of trying to humiliate a retired senior officer, if he was responsible, he should have had a private conversation with the Chief of Naval Staff.”
The group threatened to stage demonstrations if the soldier in question was punished.
The spokesperson issued a warning: “If the officer is punished for any reason, military veterans will occupy the office and residence of the FCT Minister.”
Wike was urged by the veterans to issue a public apology.
According to the declaration, military officers pledge allegiance to the country rather than to specific public authorities. “Wike’s action diminishes the minister’s office’s dignity.” He ought to express regret for the hurtful words he said. That is unacceptable behavior.
A system failure indicator: CSO
The alleged deployment of soldiers by former Chief of Naval Staff Vice Admiral Awwal Zubairu Gambo (rtd) to guard a disputed plot of land in Abuja has been denounced by the Civil Rights Realization and Advancement Network, or CRRAN, as unlawful and an attack on the rule of law.
The organization claimed the episode is “an aberration in a constitutional democracy” and a “clear sign of a failed system” where the military is abused for private gain in a statement signed by its president, Olu Omotayo, on Tuesday.
According to Omotayo, it is unsettling that a retired senior military officer could send troops to guard private property while terrorists and robbers are besieging various regions of the nation.
The statement said, “Redundant officers are being deployed to guard an empty land in a country where the security of lives and property cannot be guaranteed, while terrorists and bandits have taken over some parts of the country, maiming and killing Nigerians every day.”
He remembered that General Olufemi Oluyede, the current Chief of Defense Staff, had previously told the National Assembly that the military was being used more and more to carry out police tasks; he claimed that this “further exposes the institutional decay in the system.”
According to CRRAN, the former Naval Chief’s claimed troop deployment has no legal justification under the Nigerian Constitution.
Citing a Court of Appeal ruling in Hon. Minister of Defence & Anor v. Ochikiri & Ors (2020) LPELR-51352(CA) and Section 217(2)(c) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), Omotayo clarified that the Armed Forces can only assist civil authorities when requested by the President and under circumstances specified by a National Assembly Act.
“The Abuja land dispute is neither an emergency nor an uprising that calls for the President or the National Assembly to deploy troops,” he declared.
The group cautioned that if such acts go unpunished, they could encourage impunity and jeopardize citizens’ constitutionally given fundamental rights.
“Deploying troops over a land issue is unlawful and an attack on the rule of law, regardless of the motivation. The statement went on, “We strongly condemn the deployment of troops by a previous Chief of Naval Staff to deny FCT officials access to the area.
Instead of being utilized for personal gain, Omotayo asked the military to concentrate its efforts on battling banditry and insurgency in some areas of the nation.
“In the unstable areas of the nation where bandits have taken control, military presence and action are most needed right now. Before the nation’s reputation further deteriorates, this needs to be done immediately,” CRRAN said.
Nigerians were urged by the group to maintain their vigilance and oppose any attempts by individuals or organizations to break the law.
National security is threatened by Wike’s actions, according to Buratai
Tukur Buratai, a former Chief of Army Staff, vehemently denounced Wike’s behavior.
Buratai said in a statement that the conflict posed a threat to national security and demanded an immediate response.
Buratai stated, “His public denigration of a Nigerian Armed Forces uniformed officer goes beyond simple misconduct; it represents a tangible threat to national security and institutional integrity.”
He went on to say that a minister’s verbal abuse of a military officer harms the morale of personnel in the armed forces, disrespects the Commander-in-Chief’s authority, and threatens the chain of command.
“This action by Wike is clearly an indication of undermining the federal government’s authority,” Buratai stated, calling on the minister to offer an apology to both the offending officer and President Bola Tinubu.
“We must prioritize the security of our country. Instead of engaging in military bashing politics, it is time for decisive action. Nothing less is necessary to maintain the integrity of our armed forces,” he continued.
