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Tag: Wike

  • Group urges Wike to reactivate environmental courts, tribunals across FCT

    Group urges Wike to reactivate environmental courts, tribunals across FCT

    The CRUX Environmental Rights, Advocacy and Development Foundation (CERADF) has called on the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, to urgently reactivate and strengthen dedicated Environmental Courts and Tribunals to tackle Abuja’s escalating sanitation and waste-management crisis.

    In a letter dated November 26, 2025, and addressed to the Minister, the organisation requested the establishment of a central Environmental Court within the High Court of the FCT, alongside corresponding tribunals across the six Area Councils — AMAC, Bwari, Gwagwalada, Kuje, Abaji and Kwali.

    CERADF noted that although the Abuja Environmental Protection Board (AEPB) introduced mobile courts in May 2022 to address environmental infractions, the mechanism has become inadequate due to the growing scale and complexity of violations in the territory.

    According to the foundation, recent field assessments in Gwarinpa, Utako, Mpape, Kubwa, Nyanya, Karu, Lugbe, Kuje, Apo Mechanic Village and parts of the Central Business District revealed widespread waste accumulation, blocked drainages, recurrent flooding, rodent infestation and mounting public-health risks.

    The organisation warned that these challenges not only overburden waste-management agencies but also contribute to pollution, pervasive foul odours and reputational harm to the nation’s capital.

    While acknowledging ongoing public sensitisation efforts, CERADF argued that such initiatives must be complemented by a specialised judicial framework capable of ensuring speedy trials, consistent enforcement of environmental laws and stiffer penalties for offenders.

    The group recommended the reactivation of Environmental Courts and Tribunals in all FCT Area Councils, collaboration with the Chief Judge of the High Court of the FCT to designate specialised judges, and the development of practice directions to guide environmental litigation.

    CERADF also urged the FCT Administration to empower NESREA, AEPB, the FCTA Environmental Task Forces and Area Council authorities to file charges directly before the proposed courts.

    Additionally, it called for the establishment of a multi-agency environmental enforcement and monitoring framework involving the Federal Ministry of Environment, NESREA, AEPB, the FCTA, Area Councils and accredited civil-society groups.

    The foundation pledged its support through stakeholder engagement, research, environmental reporting and community mobilisation to promote sustainable environmental practices.

    According to the letter, signed by Ms. Iviakpellas Mercy (Country Director), Mr. Koko Ademuyiwa (Project Director) and Mr. Eswati Luka Ikpi (Director of Communications), reactivating the courts would strengthen environmental governance, safeguard public health and align Abuja with international standards.

    The letter reads in part: “The CRUX Environmental Rights, Advocacy and Development Foundation (CERADF) respectfully presents this formal request for the reactivation and strengthening of dedicated Environmental Courts and Tribunals within the Federal Capital Territory.

    “Specifically, we request the establishment of a central Environmental Court within the High Court of the FCT, as well as Environmental Tribunals across all six Area Councils. This call is made pursuant to relevant constitutional and statutory provisions and in recognition of the urgent environmental challenges confronting the nation’s capital.

    “The Abuja Environmental Protection Board (AEPB), established in 1997, introduced mobile courts in May 2022 to address environmental infractions. However, these measures have proven inadequate given the scale and complexity of the environmental crisis now facing the FCT.

    “Recent CERADF field monitoring across communities in Gwarinpa, Utako, Mpape, Kubwa, Nyanya, Karu, Lugbe, Kuje, Apo Mechanic Village and even parts of the Central Business District revealed widespread waste accumulation and poor sanitation.

    “These conditions have resulted in overburdened waste-management agencies, blocked drainages and recurrent flooding, increased rodent infestation, heightened public-health risks, escalating pollution and offensive odours, and reputational damage to Abuja as Nigeria’s administrative and diplomatic capital. Weak enforcement, slow court processes and insufficient deterrent penalties continue to worsen the situation.

    “While public sensitisation efforts are ongoing, they cannot succeed without a dedicated judicial framework that ensures speedy trials, consistent application of environmental laws and firm sanctions for violators.”

    CERADF listed its recommendations to the Minister, including: Reactivation of Environmental Courts and Tribunals across all six Area Councils to handle environmental offences and provide accessible avenues for justice.

    Collaboration with the Chief Judge of the FCT to designate specialised judges, develop practice directions, assign dedicated courtrooms and strengthen judicial capacity on environmental law.

    Empowerment of enforcement agencies, including NESREA, AEPB, FCTA task forces and Area Councils, to file charges directly before the specialised courts.

    A multi-agency enforcement and monitoring framework involving federal, regional and civil-society stakeholders.

    Comprehensive community-sensitisation campaigns to promote behavioural change.

    An annual FCT Environmental Compliance Assessment to track progress and guide reforms.

    The organisation reaffirmed its commitment to supporting the FCT Administration through community mobilisation, research and environmental stewardship initiatives.

    “The reactivation of Environmental Courts and Tribunals in the FCT is timely, necessary and transformative,” the letter concluded. “It will strengthen enforcement, safeguard public health, elevate Abuja’s environmental standards and align Nigeria with international best practices,” the letter added.

  • More heads to roll over memo on closure of schools in FCT – Wike

    More heads to roll over memo on closure of schools in FCT – Wike

    • …says no security threat in nation’s capital 

    Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Nyesom Wike on Wednesday insisted that those involved in the memo issued on Tuesday for the closure of schools in FCT would not be spared. 

    Wike described the development as unimaginable for a director to take such decision without the approval of higher authority. 

    The minister who spoke to reporters while inspecting infrastructure at A11, in Guzape area of the FCT, noted that President Bola Tinubu need to be informed before any school is shut down in the nation’s capital. 

    Wike said there was no security threat to warrant the closure of schools. 

    Recall, the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) on Tuesday dismissed reports claiming that all government schools in the nation’s capital were ordered to shut down by November 28, 2025.

    FCTA described the information as false and capable of destabilizing the peace in FCT.

    According to the reports, the directive was given in a memo issued by Aishatu Sani Alhassan, Director of School Services, FCT Secondary Education Board.

    The memo titled, “Urgent Need for Early Closure of Schools Due To Security Concerns,” ordered principals and heads of schools to end all academic activities and ensure students were dismissed in an orderly manner.

    Following the development, in a statement on Tuesday evening, the Senior Special Assistant (SSA) to the FCT minister on Public Communications and Social Media, Lere Olayinka, said no directive for early closure was issued at any level of the administration. 

    He insisted the academic calendar remains unchanged and urged parents, students, and school authorities to ignore the rumour.

    This lead to the immediate suspension of the Mandate Secretary for Education, Dr. Danlami Hayyo, over the controversy.

    Wike, who was sad with the situation said, “Well, you know in the system, sometimes you get baffled. And that’s why it’s important for one to be current. 

    “I was watching television last night and I saw a school, that FCT has directed that schools should be shut down. I couldn’t believe it, so I had to call the Mandate Secretary of Education and of course, he couldn’t reply then I had to get to the details. 

    “I got to know that the circular was issued to all the schools without our approval. And I know that we’re having a Security Council meeting today. 

    “I called the Commissioner of Police and I called other necessary authorities. I said, who did this? and they said, It’s not in their agenda and there’s no way because we don’t have such a threat that will make us shut down the schools. 

    “So because of that, the Mandate Secretary of Education has been suspended indefinitely and the Directors who were involved would be sanctioned according to civil service rules. But it’s unimaginable how people could take such a decision without the head of the affairs knowing. It’s very unfortunate.

    “How could you have taken such an action in anticipation? I mean, even I cannot do that without letting the President know. This is the FCT. Do you know what that tells? That there’s insecurity in FCT.

    “Kaduna has never shut down, Nassarawa has never shut down, And Kogi never shut down. So how will you say we were threatened? The security do everything they can to make sure that the schools are safe. But we will not forgive anybody who is involved in this”.

    Details shortly… 

  • Still on Wike Vs. Lieutenant Yerima

    Still on Wike Vs. Lieutenant Yerima

    • By Mike Kebonkwu

    Nyesom Ezewo Wike  is a news breaker any day for the right and wrong reasons.  He was a two term governor of Rivers State and a former Minister of State for Education under Goodluck Jonathan’s administration and currently, Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Abuja since the inception of the present administration.    Nobody is contesting that position or question his authority over the FCT administration.  He is combustible and combative, and does not shy away from any fight. Under his watch, there is a giant developmental stride since taking over the administration of the FCT, and noticeably so. 

    About a fortnight ago, there was a faceoff between the minister and a young military subaltern, Navy Lieutenant, Ahmed Yerima which became trending news and a hype in both social and mainstream media.  Wike had taken on giants in the political turfs and traditional stools in his home state of Rivers and came out without bruises.  That is his antecedent; he respects neither institution nor personality!  My people say that someone that kills with a machete does not allow any one come close to him with a knife. 

    The incident of the faceoff between the Minister and the young subaltern should not be loss on politics, unnecessary legalism or appeal to gerontocratic deification of public office.  Why the fuse after all!  Take a second reflective view of the faceoff, is that the way we want public officials talk to citizens, haul invectives and venom on citizens in brazen display of power?  It could have been any other citizen; every Nigerian deserves to be accorded respect even in the face of infraction of the law until found guilty by the court. 

    Was the young officer was on illegal duty? There are procedures of dealing with it and not to call a commissioned military officer a fool on camera.  Is that how we want public officers to treat Nigerians of lowly birth?  For those who feel that the minister is bold and cannot be intimidated by any power or authority, they missed the point.  As a minister, he is a custodian of public trust and not to engage in brawl.  Seeking unnecessary confrontation with everybody and confronting a military officer is not boldness or mark of heroism.  It has the capacity to provoke unintended consequences more than we may care to know if we are gauging public mood correctly. 

    The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory is the custodian of the assets of the federal government of Nigeria within the FCT administration, an office that nobody is contesting with him.  Being an office created by law, his duties are also expected to be carried out within defined rules and code of etiquette.  A minister should use edifying language and avoid open confrontation in face of perceived wrong and infraction of law. 

    Some retired very senior military officers were quick to comment on the ugly incident as foreboding. Such criticisms did not sit well with some critics.  Let us be clear on one thing, the comments by those generals were measured responses though may not have been elegantly put.  

    Public office is not forum for exhibition of arrogance and self-aggrandizement or an ego trip.  Everybody should be subject to the rule of law, including the king because it is the law that makes him king.  Occupying public office is a privilege with expiry date no matter how long you occupy the office.

    Nobody is questioning or contesting the power of the minister of the federal capital territory and his oversights functions on the land within the federal capital territory.  This also should be carried out within the precinct and domain of law.  Was the young officer disrespectful to the minister in any way, I am afraid, No!   A soldier should be an embodiment of discipline and respect for the rule of law.  A soldier also has the right to legitimately defend himself and place of duty, unless he is found to be on illegal duty.  If the FCT administration feels that a citizen irrespective of social status is in violation of land allocation law, it is the court and judiciary that should interpret that and order for enforcement.  The minister cannot constitute himself into a court and enforcement agent at the same time. 

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    Public office holders should carry out the functions of their office with extreme decorum and respect for rule of law. There should be limit and boundaries for the exercise of power of authority of an office that one should not exceed. We should learn not to cross the line of decency because of ego.  The minister crossed the line of decency to tell a military officer who holds a presidential commission that he is a fool.  In civilized climes, the people would ask that he relinquish his appointment as a minister of the republic.

    Every Nigerian deserves to be treated with some measures of respect and dignity irrespective of his or her professional callings.  A minister should also learn to deploy sublime language and not be seen to bully citizens.   

    Reactions to the incident have been mixed but overall, the balance tilts in favour of the young military officer who displayed unusually dignified poise without being rude in the face of extreme provocation.  One hopes that some lessons may have been learnt. If any person enters the land of the FCT without due process, all that the minister has to do is to take the person or institution to court.  Public office should be properly differentiated from private estate where you reserve the right to act as you like.   

    A soldier should remain what he is, embodiment of discipline and respect for the rule of law and guardian sentinel of our liberty.  A soldier is trained to respect the law and constituted authority but not to submit to harassment and intimidation. Public office is not a traditional stool to talk down on subjects. 

    •Kebonkwu Esq writes via mikekebonkwu@yahoo.com

  • Wike vows timely completion of Kuje road project June

    Wike vows timely completion of Kuje road project June

    …says FCTA will unveil more school projects

    Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has expressed satisfaction with the pace and quality of ongoing road construction projects in Kuje Area Council, assuring residents that the Airport Road to Kuje Road will be completed and delivered by June next year.

    Wike, who stated this during an inspection of Kuje projects, also revealed that a series of school projects would soon be commissioned across the territory.

    “Those who say we are not doing anything are not well informed. We will soon begin commissioning and flagging off major projects in the school system. Development is not a one-day thing; it is a continuous process”, Wike said.

    The minister noted that contractors have demonstrated commitment to meeting the agreed timeline, noting that the project has become a major milestone for the administration.

    According to him, the project, first awarded in 2019 before the COVID-19 pandemic stalled for years until the present administration intervened.

     “When we came on board, the contractor was not on site. Through our engagement with stakeholders, we pushed for the contractor to return. Today, we are impressed with the work and the residents are happy,” Wike said.

    Wike reiterated that development is a continuous process, adding that his administration is also closely monitoring the dualization of the Kuje Gwagwalada Road being handled by Gilmore Engineering.

    He explained that the firm, which executed the initial section from Kuje Junction, was allowed to continue the stretch to Gwagwalada to ensure consistency and quality.

    “If we keep to our own promise, 70 to 80 percent of the job will be completed within schedule. These are critical roads that will transform economic activities in this corridor and the FCT in general,” 

    He added that the completed network would ease movement significantly, eliminating the need for commuters between Kuje and Gwagwalada to rely on the Airport road.

    The minister emphasized that many existing deficits, especially in basic infrastructure, were inherited, but assured that his administration remains committed to bridging these gaps under the Renewed Hope agenda.

    Responding to concerns about possible community resistance to the projects, Wike said the FCT Administration has enjoyed strong cooperation from residents and area council leaders.

    “The communities are always supportive. They know that obstructing progress only affects them negatively. We are getting good cooperation from the inhabitants,” he added.

    Wike reaffirmed that his administration is focused on delivering projects that improve the lives of FCT residents, both in the city centre and rural communities.

  • Imo PDP dismisses Ibadan convention as ‘jamboree’, throws weight behind Wike

    Imo PDP dismisses Ibadan convention as ‘jamboree’, throws weight behind Wike

    The Imo State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has dismissed the November 16, 2025 convention held in Ibadan as an illegal and futile “Committee of Friends” gathering.

    In a communiqué issued on Monday after a well-attended stakeholders’ meeting on Saturday, the party praised the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for staying away from what it described as an invalid assembly, noting that the commission’s action aligns with the PDP’s commitment to the Rule of Law.

    “We dissociate ourselves from the ill-fated and unlawful Ibadan convention, and we commend INEC for its decision to boycott the invalid gathering. This stance vindicates our dedication to upholding democratic principles,” the communiqué stated.

    The stakeholders reaffirmed their support for FCT Minister Nyesom Wike as the party’s national leader, Abdulrahman Mohammed as Acting National Chairman; Senator Samuel Anyanwu as National Secretary; and Rt. Hon. Austine Nwachukwu as Imo State Chairman.

    “We unequivocally state that the entire Imo State PDP stakeholders are solidly behind our State Chairman, Rt. Hon. Austine Nwachukwu,” the statement added, insisting that Wike’s contributions to the party since 2015 “cannot be wished away.”

    On Wike’s leadership role, the communiqué stressed that “from all available records, the FCT Minister has paid his dues and supported the party to the point where he deserves to be recognised as the National Leader of our great party.”

    The party also declared support for Senator Mao Ohuabunwa as Chairman of the Board of Trustees and reaffirmed its backing for Senator Samuel Anyanwu, stating that “Imo PDP and her stakeholders are in total support of their son and National Secretary.”

    The communiqué reiterated the call for discipline and constitutional order within the party, urging members to pursue actions that promote due process, internal democracy, and respect for the Rule of Law.

    The stakeholders concluded by commending Wike’s performance as FCT Minister and his contributions to the party’s stability.

  • No extension of deadline for ground rent payment in FCT, Wike declares

    No extension of deadline for ground rent payment in FCT, Wike declares

    Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has warned ground rent defaulters in the FCT that there would be no further extension on the payment deadline. 

    Wike gave the warning in Abuja on Monday, while addressing reporters shortly after inspecting ongoing key infrastructure projects in Wuse and Lifecamp areas of the FCT.

    He said the two-week and the Presidential grace periods granted defaulters four months ago had long elapsed, stressing that “this is the last opportunity for defaulters to pay.”

    The minister said, “It’s unfortunate that most Nigerians who complain don’t want to abide by the rules. You realize that when we started this enforcement, we also had a presidential intervention to give them two, three weeks more. But it’s more than four months now and we cannot carry out projects without people paying their taxes.

    “We did also make publications about extending the deadline and of course, you know they like to rush. If you don’t go and enforce it, nobody will pay. So, we believe that this is the last time. We are not going to extend any further”.

    Speaking on the format the enforcement was going to take, Wike said officials of the FCTA will seal up the premises of defaulters, while the properties will revert back to the FCT Administration.

    “If you have not paid, we will seal up the premises and the property then becomes the property of the FCT Administration”, he said.    

    Providing updates on the infrastructure projects he inspected, including the Transit Way N2 connecting the Central Business District to Wuse District and the Arterial Road N5 (Obafemi Awolowo Way) from Life Camp Junction to Karmo, the Minister expressed satisfaction with the progress and quality of work and noted the contractors’ assurances of timely completion.

    The Minister said, “The first site we went to is the construction of road N2 that connects the Central Area to Wuse which is being carried out by Levante Construction Ltd, and the work is ongoing. The contractor has assured us that by the end of May next year, which is the first week of June, 2026, they would have completed that very key road connecting the Central Area to Wuse.

    “We also went to Arterial Road N5 which is being handled by Julius Berger. For those of you familiar with this project, we have been here several times when the connecting bridge was ongoing. Today, we are on top of the bridge. The contractor, Julius Berger has also said that by January ending next year, they would have also handed over this project. So, we are hopeful.

    “We are very happy with the quality of the job done. In fact, where we are standing is amazing. So, we are happy that they’ve gone this far and we are very happy with what we have seen”, he added.

    The Minister, while noting that the Transit Way N2 was being executed through emergency funding, also assured of adequate funding for the Arterial Road N5 in the FCT’s 2025 budget. 

    Responding to questions on when the commissioned bus terminals would become fully operational, Wike explained that the process of selecting the operators was ongoing.

    The minister said, “You know it’s a contract and so the procurement is ongoing and we also want to see the number of fleet that they have. We believe by the grace of God, by the end of the year, that would have been rounded up. So, it’s a matter of getting things done very well the way it’s supposed to be by following due process”.

  • Wike to SSDC: don’t disappoint Tinubu, focus on grassroot development

    Wike to SSDC: don’t disappoint Tinubu, focus on grassroot development

    The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, on Wednesday charged the newly constituted South-South Development Commission (SSDC) to focus on grassroots development in line with the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Tinubu.

    Wike gave the charge when the board members and management team of the Commission, led by the Board Chairman, Hon. Chibudom Nwuche paid him a courtesy visit in his office.

    The Minister congratulated the Board members and Management Team on their appointments by President Tinubu, emphasizing that their selection was based on trust and magnanimity and urged them not to let the President down.

    The Minister said, “The only way you can justify your appointment and make the President happy is to work tirelessly to achieve the Renewed Hope Agenda of the President in your region. Your loyalty is to him. Make the President proud of the Commission”.

    He urged the members not to allow themselves to be used as tools of division by those opposed to the President’s vision for regional development, adding that the overall objective of the Commission is to bring development to the people of the South-South.

    “One thing that is paramount is your humble self. Are you willing to work for the development of your region? Are you willing to make sure that the vision and mission of Mr. President is being achieved?”, the Minister asked.

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    Wike further delivered a strong admonition against the politicization of the Commission’s activities and the misuse of public funds, stressing that members must work together as a team and refrain from being used as a tool to cause division within the commission.

    Outlining clear guidelines for project execution, the Minister advised members of the Commission against abandoning their primary responsibility or diverting funds meant for development projects. 

    He urged them to ensure financial prudence, adding that they should only embark on projects that have financial backing.

    “Don’t award projects to satisfy selfish interests”, the Minister stressed.

    Noting the importance of stakeholder consultation, the Minister also advised members of the Commission to consult widely before deciding what project to execute in the different states of the region.

    He said, “Go to the Governors and ask them questions. Don’t duplicate projects that the local government or state is doing”.

    Wike, while stressing the need for courageous leadership, thanked President Tinubu for his wisdom and courage in establishing the regional commission to accelerate development.

    He said, “It’s not easy. I know what happens when several of these commissions were created. It takes courage and leadership for Mr President to have agreed to create a commission for the various regions.

    “No former President has done it before. Leadership without courage cannot achieve anything”, Wike stressed. 

    Speaking earlier, the Chairman, Board of the South-South Development Commission, Hon. Chibudom Nwuche, expressed profound gratitude to the FCT Minister for his pivotal support and role in the establishment of the Commission and the appointment of its members.

    Nwuche hailed the Minister’s leadership style, stating that the Board members were keen admirers of Wike’s “result-driven” approach and promised to emulate his style, particularly the timely execution of infrastructure projects.

    He assured the FCT Minister and President Tinubu of the Board’s total support and commitment to the development of the South-South region.

    The Managing Director of the Commission, Miss Usoro Akpabio, also affirmed this commitment, thanking the Minister for his support and pledged that the Commission will carry out its mandate diligently, towards bringing development to the South-South region.

  • Why I parted ways with Wike, by Makinde

    Why I parted ways with Wike, by Makinde

    They were once close friends and political comrades.

    They worked together in 2023 along with three others to form the famous G5 Governors, who led the battle to stop the then Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate from winning the election.

    But today, they have gone in different ways, though still members of the beleaguered PDP.

    Yesterday, Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde opened up on what broke the ice of the friendship between him and Minister of Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Nyesom Wike.

    He said Wike is pushing for a one-party state, which he added does not align with the vision of Nigeria’s founding fathers.

    He enjoined members to be hopeful about a brighter future.

    The governor said the disagreement is not about PDP, but about the future of democracy

    He stressed: “We should know that this is a case of it gets worse before it gets better.

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    And if we have to stay here for the next two weeks so that democracy will survive in Nigeria, you will see us here.”

    On the bone of contention between him and Wike, he said: “Well, small minds talk about people. Average mind talks about events. We will rather talk about issues. What’s the issue?

    “The issue is we don’t believe in a one party Nigeria. We believe that our Founding Fathers, they gave us a multi-party democracy.”

    Makinde added: “We must sustain it so that Nigerians can have options when they are choosing their leaders. That is the issue. I don’t want to talk about individuals, and I don’t want to talk about events.

  • JUST IN: Turaki, Govs Makinde, Mohammed tear gassed as Wike arrives PDP Secretariat

    JUST IN: Turaki, Govs Makinde, Mohammed tear gassed as Wike arrives PDP Secretariat

    Governors Seyi Makinde (Oyo), Bala Mohammed (Bauchi) and factional National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Tanimu Turaki were part of a crowd tear gassed by police operatives to disperse a crowd of supporters at the PDP National Secretariat on Tuesday. 

    The Governors and Turaki were denied access to Wadata House by Senator Samuel Anyanwu-led faction, which manned the main gate. 

    As the gathering became rowdy, police operatives fired tear gas to disperse the crowd. 

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    But the gate was thrown wide open when FCT Minister Nyesom Wike arrived the Wadata House. 

    Details shortly…

  • The trial of Minister Wike

    The trial of Minister Wike

    Exactly a week after, it comes as no surprise that Nigeria and Nigerians are nowhere reaching agreement on what is substance and what is peripheral among the issues that led to last Tuesday’s face-off between Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike and Navy Lieutenant Ahmad Yerima, the young officer deployed on guard duties on the property said to belong to the immediate past Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Zubairu Gambo (retd.)

    For while the deliberate, if not entirely programmed, obfuscation by those for whom any opportunity to pillory Wike and the Tinubu government at whose behest he serves might ordinarily seem fair game, the way and manner the military establishment in particular, including their hordes of supporters within and outside of government have been carrying on, going as far as to tag the young officer a hero, not only typifies the institutional arrogance that has long been in the character of the Nigerian military, but betrays its poor grasp of the imperatives of military subordination to civilian control as one might imagine under democratic rule.     

    It is interesting how the military has since mounted a spirited rally in support of one of its own, which is not exactly a bad thing save for the opportunistic framing of the issue as one of disrespect to the military uniform, as against the legendary arrogance under which other national institutions get routinely undermined, assaulted, with our laws rendered impotent, and shredded by the military – a derivative of which is the pitting the citizens against our uniformed men.

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    Those who described the Tuesday event as horror scene have a point, considering that a minister with his hordes of directors in tow being engaged in verbal altercations with a young officer is not something one sees often. Yet, there is something in the subtext of the day’s outing that speaks to the state of the disorder even among our institutions, including those we often valorise.

    As in all cases, the pattern is always nearly the same with variances only in details: a brass hat wants or does something out of what the law could conveniently permit. When those in charge would neither endorse nor grant the permit to proceed, he draws upon brawn and muscle to give effect to his desire. In the process, those charged with the duty of control and management are not only prevented from undertaking their legitimate duty; they are actually hounded like felons – sometimes at the pain of losing limbs and lives.

    All of these, according to reports, were all in play in the build up to the Tuesday altercation. What Nigerians saw live on Tuesday November 11 was merely the climax of the not-so-subterranean battle that started days before: An enraged minister and his team storming the site – Bastille style – apparently to enforce the law only to meet a naval platoon, led by a Lieutenant on guard duty, to keep the law not only at bay, but in permanent abeyance if it comes to that! Little wonder that Wike’s enemies – and they are quite a number – have been all over town in celebration over what is supposed to be a brutal putdown of a man that they love to hate!

    You know the rest.

    Now, someone would have us accept that the issue at stake is about disrespect for the uniform! Not the disrespect that started with sending uniformed men to secure building sites in defiance of the law, or physical planning regulations and the authority of the president at the behest of whom Minister Wike serves? No concerns with the alleged crime of obstruction from the performance of lawful duty and the associated assault on the MFCT officials, an offence which in itself is punishable under the law? 

    And now the officer, who led the team that chased out the officials from performing their lawful duty, is being touted as a ‘hero’; not of the battle-field where the best of our gallant men and women are tested but in the defence of the private estate of a Nigerian big man! Talk of some Nigerians painting such as the stuff of which our heroes are made!  

    Meanwhile, the above is nothing compared with the reaction of the former Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai, now a chieftain of the ADC. He demands that Wike publicly apologise to President Bola Tinubu, the Armed Forces, and the military officer.  He then goes on to equate what he called “disparagement of a uniformed officer of the Nigerian Armed Forces” with treason.

    To use his words: “A minister’s verbal assault on a military officer in uniform is an act of profound indiscipline that strikes at the core of our nation’s command and control structure. It deliberately undermines the chain of command, disrespects the authority of the Commander-in-Chief and grievously wounds the morale of every individual who serves under the Nigerian flag. Such actions erode the very foundation of discipline upon which our national security apparatus stands.”

    Discerning Nigerians know that this is arrant nonsense: the uniform does not make the fighting men any more patriotic than the well-starched khaki would automatically predispose them to citizens’ respect. How about the disorderly conduct of some of his men particularly when they wilfully insert themselves into civilian matters thus drawing opprobrium to their beloved institution? 

    Chief of Defence Staff, General Lucky Irabor (retd.), was just as sanctimonious: “the uniform of military and security personnel symbolises the authority, dignity, and sovereignty of the Nigerian state, and that any act of disrespect towards those wearing it amounts to an insult to the country itself”.

    Agreed, but then, authority, far from being abstract, comes with responsibility. Fine; the two brass hats see nothing wrong with the deployment of the young officer to guard private property. We are supposed to accept this as norm – something permissible in the course of duty. Same with the use of men wearing uniforms as they pleased, and that, possibly, includes conversion of officers into non-regimental duties whenever it suited them! 

    As for the alleged outlawry, the unlawful expropriation and subsequent conversion of the property in question – parks and gardens – into such ends not so designated by the MFCT authorities; that apparently should be far more tolerable than the offence for which they seek the neck of Nyesom Wike!  

    And now the duo of Bello Matawalle and Mohammed Badaru, both cabinet-colleagues of Wike putting their colleague to the sword for fear of ruffling the feathers of a section of their beloved military. Talk of the perfect Nigerian metamorphosis: from entitlement to impunity, then outlawry, and inevitably, to legitimisation.  Talk of yet another riveting Nigerian story.