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  • Mattawale: Wike’s clash with naval officer needless, avoidable

    Mattawale: Wike’s clash with naval officer needless, avoidable

    The Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle, has described as “unnecessary and avoidable” the recent confrontation between the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, and a naval officer, Lt. A. M. Yerima, over an alleged land dispute in Abuja.

    The Minister led some Ministry officials to the disputed land in Gaduwa District, Abuja, but was stopped by the naval officer, who was reportedly acting on the orders of a former Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Awwal Gambo, from accessing the property.

    The Minister, visibly angry, confronted the officer.

    However, Matawalle, in an interview with DCL Hausa, which was posted on their YouTube channel, said the incident should have been resolved through official channels rather than a public exchange.

    According to Matawalle, before the confrontation on Tuesday, Wike had contacted both the Chief of Defence Staff and the Chief of Naval Staff, who advised him to allow the military to investigate the matter before taking any action.

    READ ALSO: NMDPRA places 15% petrol tax on hold

    Mattawale said, “What happened between Minister Wike and the officer is unfortunate. When he got there, the officer explained that he was simply obeying orders given to him.

    “Wike should not have exchanged words with the officer; he ought to have addressed his concerns through the officer’s superiors.”

    He explained that Yerima acted strictly on instructions and maintained a professional and disciplined attitude throughout the encounter.

    “Wike is our colleague, and Wike could have reached out to us to resolve whatever issue. The officer’s action was lawful because he was trained to be disciplined, loyal, and obedient to orders,” Mattawale said.

    “Therefore, the young officer only carried out his duty worthy of commendation.

    “He did not commit any offence under military regulations; he merely obeyed a lawful order and followed due process. If you observe carefully, he spoke respectfully and conducted himself properly,” Matawalle added.

    The minister further cautioned public officials against disrespecting uniformed personnel, stressing that doing so undermines the authority of the President, who is the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces.

    Matawalle clarified that his comments were not an endorsement of military indiscipline but a reminder of the importance of following the chain of command.

    “This is not about supporting the military to act disrespectfully toward civilians. The Minister should understand that every officer has superiors. I gathered that he called the Chief of Defence Staff, who advised him to wait for an investigation,” he explained.

    Matawalle confirmed that the Chief of Naval Staff has since visited the disputed site to begin a formal investigation into the ownership of the land.

    “Now that the Chief of Naval Staff has visited the area, since it involves a land dispute, the matter will be investigated to know who owns the lawful documents,” he said.

    “If the land has been revoked, there are established procedures to be followed diplomatically.”

    Mattawale said the Ministry of Defence is yet to receive a formal complaint from the FCT Minister over the incident.

  • Wike defended civilian supremacy, says ex-lawmaker

    Wike defended civilian supremacy, says ex-lawmaker

    A former member of the House of Representatives, Hon. Johnson Egwakhide Oghuma, has said that Minister of Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, didn’t defend a piece of land, but the very principle of civilian supremacy on which democracy rested.

    Oghuma said the officer’s conduct was a betrayal of both discipline and duty.

    The former lawmaker, who spoke in a statement issued in Benin City, said the uniform remained a national symbol and not a license for impunity or to be used as a weapon against the law it was sworn to protect.

    Oghuma said the officer desecrated the uniform and undermined the honour of the institution he represented when he abandoned his professional duty to act as an enforcer in a land dispute.

    According to him, “What cannot be tolerated is a situation where armed personnel intimidate civil authorities or obstruct lawful administrative processes. Such conduct is nothing short of an abuse of power and a direct affront to civilian governance.

    “The lesson from this episode is that the rule of law must remain supreme. Ministers, soldiers, and civilians alike are bound by the same legal framework. The FCTA should publish the full documentation on the disputed land to reinforce transparency, while the Defence authorities must reaffirm their commitment to non-interference in civil matters.

    “If the incident leads to disciplinary action, public accountability, and renewed respect for due process, it would mark a positive turning point for governance in the Federal Capital Territory. Abuja cannot be a city where might overrides right. The capital should be a model of lawful order — where even those in uniform bow to the authority of law.”

    Read Also: Controversy widens over Wike, military officer’s clash on land

    “Minister Wike’s response, therefore, was not merely a personal reaction but an assertion of the authority of civil institutions over unlawful force. The FCT Administration is constitutionally empowered to regulate land ownership and urban development within Abuja. If that authority can be defied by a handful of armed officers, then the entire structure of urban administration collapses into impunity. In this light, Wike’s insistence that “no one is above the law” is both timely and necessary.

    “That said, the incident also highlights the urgent need for better coordination between civilian and military institutions. Disputes involving government land or military establishments should be addressed through inter-agency channels — not confrontation at construction sites.

    The Defence Headquarters must take disciplinary action against the officer involved, both to restore public confidence and to demonstrate that the Nigerian Armed Forces remain an institution of discipline, not disorder.

    The Nigerian public holds the military in high esteem for its sacrifices in defending the nation. But such respect is sustained only when the military itself upholds the law it swore to defend. Deploying soldiers in a private or unauthorized capacity erodes that respect and sends a dangerous message to the public — that power can be used to subvert justice.

  • PANDEF to Navy: apologise to Wike now

    PANDEF to Navy: apologise to Wike now

    The Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF) has called on the Nigerian Navy to immediately tender an unreserved apology to the Minister of Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Abuja, Chief Nyesom Wike, following Wednesday’s public altercation between the Minister and a junior naval officer, Lt. AM Yerima.

    The National Chairman of PANDEF, Amb. Boladei Igali, who spoke in Port Harcourt on Thursday, condemned the rising social media glamorization of what he described as a grossly improper conduct of a junior naval officer, said to be acting on the orders of a retired service chief.

    Igali said the retired service chief ordinarily ought to know that Wike, who is a member of the Federal Executive Council and a direct representative of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu over all matters concerning the FCT, deserved his due respect.

    He said, “Chief Wike, without doubt, one of the best performing ministers in this administration, deserves to be treated with much more respect and decorum”.

    The former Federal Permanent Secretary and Diplomat lamented that the unacceptable behaviour of the junior naval officer was not just an affront to the FCT Minister but also an open show of disdain for the office of the President, “whose powers vested in the FCT Minister, was publicly ridiculed”.

    The south-south geopolitical zone leader said: “The Minister of the FCT deserves an unconditional apology from the leadership of the Nigerian Navy on behalf of its former Head and the hapless young officer involved in the horrible spectacle, which is an act outside its core mandate of protecting the territorial integrity of the country.

    Read Also: Controversy widens over Wike, military officer’s clash on land

    “The act of using ordinarily innocent junior military personnel to perform illegal duties like watching over unoccupied personal lands or the like must not be tolerated, irrespective of the self-restraint of the latter.”

    Igali further called on Mr. President to direct the respective security and law enforcement authorities to fully investigate the incident and bring those involved to book.

    “This will preserve the professionalism in the military and guarantee respect for constituted civil authority, which is the most basic foundation for building a stable,  virile democracy where the law rules at all times”, he said.

    Igali insisted that the person of the FCT minister must be fully protected from such overzealousness, as he continued to carry out his assigned duties with personal passion and zeal.

  • Investor backs Wike’s reforms, urges diaspora Nigerians to replicate master communities at home

    Investor backs Wike’s reforms, urges diaspora Nigerians to replicate master communities at home

    A real estate investor has urged private developers to adopt a structured and sustainable approach to urban growth in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), aligning their projects with government regulations and embracing the “master community” model of development.

    Speaking at a press briefing in Abuja on Wednesday, the Founder of Wardiere Oakmount Developments, Diamond Ilori, said the reforms being implemented by the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, to restore order in land administration and development control should be viewed as necessary corrections rather than punitive measures.

    “The FCT is our national capital. There should be a well-organized and properly followed plan. What the Minister is doing should be seen as a correction, not a punishment. We cannot afford to let Abuja become like Lagos, where everyone builds whatever they like,” Ilori said.

    He called on developers to comply with the Land Use Act, pay ground rent, and perfect their title documents to avoid land revocation or demolition.

    “Once you are regularized and get documentation from the FCDA, you must keep paying ground rent. It’s a legal obligation, not an imposition,” he stated.

    Ilori, however, urged the government to carry developers along by increasing sensitization on land regularization and compliance procedures, noting that many violations occur out of ignorance rather than deliberate disobedience.

    To further professionalize the sector, he proposed the establishment of a Real Estate Regulatory Authority similar to Dubai’s Real Estate Regulatory Agency (RERA), which certifies agents, monitors developers, and enforces standards.

    “If such a system exists, every developer and agent would need certification before operating. It will bring order, professionalism, and protect investors,” he said.

    On the ongoing land regularization drive in the FCT, Ilori said disputes often arise because many landholders in area councils fail to update their documents with the FCDA.

    “Some people have titles issued by area councils but not recorded in FCDA’s system. When development control inspects such plots, they appear empty and are reallocated. Proper regularization would prevent this,” he said.

    He added that development control agencies prioritize large-scale, integrated communities over scattered small plots because they allow better planning and infrastructure.

    “Small plots of 2,000 square meters cannot support schools or hospitals. Government prefers consolidated communities where essential services are integrated within defined spaces,” he explained.

    Ilori, who has worked and lived in Dubai for years, said Nigeria’s real estate industry could learn from countries that promote structured community development where housing, commerce, and recreation coexist seamlessly.

    He highlighted his company’s ongoing projects in Abuja, which he described as “master communities”, self-contained developments combining residential areas with schools, hospitals, parks, shopping malls, and public transport systems.

    “Our goal is to build ecosystems, not just estates. Every component, housing, transport, leisure, and retail, supports the other. The estate will have its own buses, city centre, and malls. These make life easier for residents while generating income that sustains the community,” he said, citing The Valley, a Wardiere Oakmount project in Kuje, Abuja.

    “This is not about creating elitist settlements. The facilities are designed to make life easier and add long-term value for residents. When you solve daily challenges like transport and shopping within the estate, you make communities more livable,” he explained.

    Ilori said Wardiere Oakmount’s Al Barari project in Abuja was created by consolidating smaller parcels into a master community, with 40 percent dedicated to green areas, parks, and water bodies.

    “We are ensuring a balance between environmental sustainability and urban growth. Unlike many concrete-heavy estates, Al Barari will remain green and compliant with FCDA guidelines,” he said.

    He encouraged Nigerians abroad to apply the same level of discipline and planning standards they see in developed countries when investing at home.

    “Diaspora Nigerians should not just build houses; they should build organized communities. That’s how to grow our cities sustainably and make Abuja truly world-class,” Ilori said.

  • Controversy widens over Wike, military officer’s clash on land

    Controversy widens over Wike, military officer’s clash on land

    • Badaru, Buratai, minister’s aide, SANs wade in
    • Ex-CNS’ lawyers meet with FCT officials

    Mixed reactions have continued to trail Tuesday’s altercation between Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister Nyesom Wike and a military officer, Navy Lieutenant A.M Yerima,   over the development of an Abuja land allegedly belonging to a former Chief of Naval Staff(CNS), Vice-Admiral Awwal Gambo.

    The confrontation happened when Wike and  FCT Administration officials were prevented by military personnel led by Navy Lt. Yerima from accessing Plot 1946, Gaduwa District, Abuja, where construction was ongoing.

    The FCTA officials were said to have gone to the site earlier to stop the work, but were prevented from entering the plot by the operatives.

    In videos circulating online, Wike, who followed the FCTA men back to the site,  is  seen  exchanging a heated argument with the officer, who insisted they were acting on an  ‘’order from above.’’

    Reacting to the incident,  Defence Minister  Mohammed Badaru said the ministry and the military high command would protect every soldier on lawful duty. 

    Badaru  spoke to reporters during a ministerial news conference on the Armed Forces Remembrance Celebration and Remembrance Day, 2026, in  Abuja, that the ministry was ‘’looking into the issue.’’ 

    He said: “At the ministry, and indeed the Armed Forces, we will always protect our officers on lawful duty.

    “So we are looking into this issue, and we. assure that any officer on lawful duty will be highly protected. So, we will not allow anything to happen to him so long as he is doing his job, and he’s doing his job very well.”

    Badaru also spoke on the military’s success against terrorists and other non-state actors over the past two years. He said troops have killed over 13,000 terrorists, arrested 17,000 others and rescued nearly 10,000 kidnap victims.

    The minister added that coordinated operations led to the dismantling of key terrorist enclaves, the surrender of 100,000 Boko Haram and ISWAP combatants and the neutralisation of notorious bandit commanders.  

    Also on the clash over the land, a former Chief of Army Staff(COAS), Lt. Gen. Tukur   Buratai and Lere Olayinka, senior special assistant on publicity and communications to the FCT Minister, differed on the faceoff between Wike and Lt. Yerima.

    Read Also: FCT Minister Wike, military officer in altercation over land

    Two lawyers—Sebastine Hon(SAN)  and Princewill Dike – , who also backed the minister, called for the prosecution of Navy Lt. Yerima and his team.   

    Former Anamabra State Governor Peter Obi said the faceoff reflected institutional disorder

    Gen. Burutai said in  a statement on his verified Facebook page yesterday that the altercation   between Wike and the naval officer posed a “clear and present danger to national security.”

    He argued that Wike’s conduct undermined the authority of the Commander-in-Chief and eroded military discipline.

    The former COAS described the minister’s action as “a public humiliation of a soldier” and “an attack on the foundation of national order.”

    He called on Wike to issue a public apology to President Bola Tinubu, who is the commander-in-chief and Navy Lt. Yerima.

    His statement reads: “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.

    “This cannot be dismissed as political theatre. It is a reckless endangerment of national order. This action by Wike is clearly an indication of undermining the Federal Government’s authority.

    “Consequently,  Nyesom Wike must tender an immediate and unequivocal public apology to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu as Commander-in-Chief, the entire Armed Forces of Nigeria, and the specific officer whose honour was violated.”  

     Wike’s aide flays Buratai, says  Gambo was scammed 

    But  Olayinka said he was surprised that Buratai was more concerned about the minister’s exchange with Navy Lt. Yerima than about the redeployment of military personnel to perform duties unrelated to national security.

    “When I read the statement by Gen. Tukur Buratai, I was like — a former Chief of Army Staff is not concerned about military men who should be at the war front. Naval officers who should be in the Chad Basin confronting terrorists are being converted into private guards guarding uncompleted buildings. Which one is a security threat to Nigeria?” he said on a national television.

    Olayinka argued that Navy Lt. Yerima  acted unlawfully, stressing that “not all orders are lawful.”

    He maintained that Wike, as FCT minister, was within his rights to question the presence of armed personnel on a disputed land.

    The media aide said: “The land in question was allocated to Santo Estate Limited in 2007  for Parks and recreation. In 2022, the company wrote to the then FCT minister seeking approval to change the land use purpose to residential.

    “While still waiting for a response to this request, the company decided to partition the land and sell it to people, including the former Chief of Naval Staff.

    “The then FCT minister declined the request to change the land use purpose from Parks and Recreation to residential. Meanwhile, Santos Estate Limited has already sold the land to unsuspecting people, including the former CNS, who is building duplexes on his own.

    “Shouldn’t the former Chief of Naval Staff be more concerned with the person who scammed him rather than using military might to hold on to a property on which he was duped?

    Clash reflects   institutional disorder, says Obi 

    Obi said the Wike/ Navy Lt. Yerima incident raised critical questions about governance, institutional integrity and respect for due process.

    He said: “The recent needless altercation between Wike and a Naval officer is yet another unfortunate reflection of the growing institutional disorder in our country.

    “What should ordinarily be a routine civic encounter has, once again, become a national embarrassment’…”

    Lawyers back Wike

    Prof.  Hon (SAN) and  Rivers State-based  Lawyer,   Dike, condemned the action of Navy Lt. Yerima and his team. They said it is illegal and unjustifiable.

    Hon said the officer’s claim of “obeying superior orders” could not stand in law. He cited the Supreme Court’s decision in Onunze vs. State (2023), which ruled that obedience to orders does not extend to those that are “palpably illegal or manifestly unjust.”

    According to him, military officers take an oath to defend the Constitution, not to carry out unlawful instructions.

    The senior Lawyer said: ‘’Obstructing Wike amounted to challenging the constitutional powers of the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces.

    While admitting that Wike’s approach might have appeared brash, Hon maintained that his actions were lawful and within his constitutional authority.  

    Dike called on security agencies to arrest and prosecute the military personnel, who, according to him,  “threatened to shoot” Wike.

    He said: “Impunity cannot continue in this country.  What happened that  afternoon between the minister   and some soldiers in the FCT should be condemned by Nigerians…”

    Ex-CNS, allottee’s representatives  meet FCTA chiefs

    The Nation gathered that Gambo’s representatives visited the FCTA   with documents of the disputed land.  

    The meeting was said to have been facilitated by the Nigerian Navy.

    It was gathered that Gambo’s team, led by his private lawyer, attended the meeting in the company of officials of Santos Nigeria Limited, the allottee which sold the 2.5 acres of land to the ex-CNS in 2020.

    A source familiar with the details said the team presented all relevant documents that had earlier been submitted and were received by the office of Mukthar Galadima, director Development Control.

  • Wike’s aide tackles Buratai over comment on minister’s clash with military

    Wike’s aide tackles Buratai over comment on minister’s clash with military

    Lere Olayinka, Senior Special Assistant on Publicity and Communications to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, on Wednesday questioned former Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Tukur Yusuf Buratai (rtd), over his comments on the minister’s altercation with a naval officer in Abuja.

    Olayinka, who spoke on Channels Television, monitored by our correspondent, said he was surprised that Buratai was more concerned about the minister’s exchange with a uniformed officer than about the redeployment of military personnel to perform duties unrelated to national security.

    “When I read the statement by Tukur Buratai, I was like — a former Chief of Army Staff is not concerned about talking to a uniform man. He’s not concerned about military men who should be at the war front,” Olayinka said.

    “Naval officers who should be in the Chad Basin confronting terrorists are being converted into private guards guarding uncompleted buildings. Which one is a security threat to Nigeria?”

    READ ALSO; FG pays N18bn insurance to boost troops’ welfare

    Olayinka argued that the naval officer involved in Tuesday’s confrontation acted unlawfully, stressing that “not all orders are lawful.”

    He maintained that Wike, as FCT Minister, was within his rights to question the presence of armed personnel on disputed land.

    He said, “The land in question was allocated to Santo Estate Limited in 2007, for Parks and recreation. In 2022, the company wrote to the then FCT Minister, seeking approval to change the land use purpose to residential. While still waiting for a response to this request, the company decided to partition the land and sell it to people, including the former Chief of Naval Staff.

    “The then FCT Minister declined the request to change the land use purpose from Parks and recreation to residential. Meanwhile, Santos Estate Limited already sold the land to unsuspecting people, including the former CNS, who is building DUPLEXES on his own.

    “Like I said earlier, shouldn’t the former Chief of Naval Staff be more concerned with the person who scammed him rather than using the military might to hold on to a property on which he was duped?

    His reaction followed Buratai’s earlier warning that the altercation between Wike and the naval officer posed a “clear and present danger to national security.”

    In a statement posted on his verified Facebook page on Tuesday, Buratai had argued that Wike’s conduct undermined the authority of the Commander-in-Chief and eroded military discipline.

    He described the minister’s action as “a public humiliation of a soldier” and “an attack on the foundation of national order.”

    Buratai also advised Wike to issue a public apology to President Bola Tinubu and the naval officer.

  • FCT Minister Wike, military officer in altercation over land

    FCT Minister Wike, military officer in altercation over land

    It was dramatic when the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, on Tuesday stormed Plot 1946 in Gaduwa District, Abuja.

    This followed reports that soldiers had taken over the disputed parcel of land allegedly linked to a former Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Awwal Zubairu Gambo (rtd).

    Speaking during the unscheduled visit, Wike expressed anger that government officials from the FCT Department of Development Control were chased away from the site by soldiers while attempting to enforce a stop-work order earlier issued by his office.

    Read Also: Economy now predictable, stable, says Shettima

    The soldiers, led by Naval Lt. A. M Yarima had blocked entry into the plot with a truck and physically prevented the minister who had tried to make his way in.

    Wike said the incident was brought to his attention after the FCT authorities discovered that the developers had no valid documents or legal approval for the property.

    According to the Director of Development Control, Mukhtar Galadima, the property in question was not allocated by the FCT Administration and had no valid documents of ownership or building approval.

    But as Wike’s convoy approached the fenced site, a group of uniformed soldiers positioned at the entrance reportedly moved to deny him access.

    What followed was an extraordinary exchange that underscored the tension between civilian authority and military influence.

    Wike stepped out of his vehicle and demanded to be allowed in, insisting he had come to inspect an illegal construction.

    The soldiers stood their ground, with their leader asserting that he was under strict orders “from above” not to permit entry.

    The atmosphere quickly grew charged.

    “Who gave you the order?” Wike demanded, as he advanced toward the officer.

    The Naval Lt. A. M Yarima, refusing to back down, responded sharply:

    “Sir, you cannot tell me to keep quiet. I am a commissioned officer.”

    Unfazed, the soldier replied, “I am not a fool, sir and you have no right to call me one.”

    The tense exchange ended with Wike turning away in anger and leaving the scene.

    Video of the verbal exchanges went viral yesterday.

    Wike said: “You are aware that the land departments and Development Control have been mandated to monitor illegal developments and land grabbing in the FCT.

    “When this matter was brought to my attention, I directed that nothing should take place on that plot since there were no legal documents or urban regional approvals. Unfortunately, I was informed that soldiers chased our officials away”, he said.

    Wike said he was surprised to learn that the soldiers allegedly acting on the instructions of the former Naval Chief had taken over the property.

    “I don’t understand how someone who once occupied such a high office cannot come to the FCT Minister to explain his situation but instead uses soldiers to intimidate people. I am not one of those who will succumb to blackmail or intimidation”, he added.

    According to him, when development control officials asked for the necessary land documents and building approvals, none was produced.

    “How can we continue to allow lawlessness to prevail in this country? What about those who do not have the military or security forces to protect them?” Wike queried.

    The Minister condemned any attempt to use security operatives to frustrate legitimate government enforcement actions, stressing that such behaviour would not be tolerated under his watch.

    He explained that he had already spoken with the Chief of Defence Staff and the Chief of Naval Staff, who assured him that the matter would be resolved amicably.

    “We are not here for confrontation or to cause chaos, but I will not allow illegality to thrive. The same way we enforce the law in other parts of Abuja is the same way we will do here. No one, not even a former Chief of Naval Staff, is above the law,” Wike declared.

    The FCT Administration had in recent months intensified efforts to curb land racketeering and illegal developments across the territory, with several high-profile properties already demolished for noncompliance with planning regulations.

    At the scene was also the FCT Commissioner of Police, Miller Dantawaye. 

    A military source said the 2.5 hectares was allocated to Admiral Gambo by Bala Mohammed when he was FCT Minister and it was revalidated by the immediate past minister Mohammed Bello.

    According to him, the military officers who were at the site when Wike went there were personal security detail of the former CNS, who were there to safeguard his property.

  • Wike meets the new Nigerian mentality

    Wike meets the new Nigerian mentality

    For many, Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Nyesom Wike, is a hated figure. He is despised for many reasons: his gruff voice, aggressive and sometimes boorish ways; his politics – forging an ‘unforgiveable alliance’ with President Bola Tinubu and fending off the independence bid of his godson, Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara.

    There are those who can’t stand him simply because he disrupted the pattern of appointees from a section of the country occupying the coveted FCT seat. Even worse, he came to office determined to put an end to business as usual in the federal capital. And, he’s been going about his assignment like a human bulldozer – the original demolition man!

    The minister, perhaps, hasn’t helped his cause by carrying on as though he was still the all-powerful governor of Rivers State – holding forth in hour-long media chats, slinging arrows at every political foe in sight.

    So, when yesterday the ‘Landlord of Abuja’ – as the president teasingly refers to him – was prevented by a lowly lieutenant from accessing a disputed plot of land in the capital, social media was set alight. Many rejoiced that their bête noire finally received his comeuppance.

    Photos of the fresh-faced officer and the unedifying dialogue between the two men were gleefully shared. Some of the pictures of the soldier had the legend ‘Hero’. Unfortunately, while the powerful figure you hate might have been embarrassed publicly, there was really nothing heroic about what the soldier did.

    It’s was a stark reminder of how impunity still haunts Nigeria’s democracy. It is disturbing that after 26 years of non-stop civilian rule, elements within the military still feel there’s one law for them and another for the rest of the ‘bloody civilian’ populace. It’s clear we’ve not totally exorcised the demons that attended 33 years of junta rule.

    It’s the reason why some misguided and uninformed people who probably never lived under military dictatorship flirt with the idea in moments of their political frustration. But experience from West Africa and around the globe tells us countries are better when solders stick to their constitutional roles and don’t meddle with governance.

    Perhaps, someone with a different temperament would have handled yesterday’s situation with more restraint, and some have chosen to focus on the minister’s reaction to provocation, ignoring the more troubling questions raised by the incident.

    Read Also: Tinubu’s delegation to UK discusses Ekweremadu’s transfer to Nigeria

    This wasn’t just another petty turf war, or occasion for the swashbuckling minister to throw his weight around. Wike was on official inspection when naval personnel barred him from accessing the land. The minister was acting within his lawful authority. The ensuing standoff was as absurd as it was revealing: soldiers preventing a federal minister from performing his duties on federal land.

    That military men could openly obstruct a government minister – an agent of the same federal government – is more than insolence; it is a grave institutional sickness. It shows how far we still are from establishing the supremacy of civil authority over armed might.

    In a properly functioning democracy, this episode would be unthinkable. The military is meant to defend the state, not challenge it. But in Nigeria, the shadow of barracks rule still looms large.

    The Abuja incident is not an isolated aberration. Across the country, similar scenes of official lawlessness have become routine: soldiers assaulting police officers, policemen defying court orders, agencies clashing over jurisdiction.

    What makes this confrontation even more disturbing is that it occurred in the FCT – the one territory constitutionally under the President’s direct control. If a federal minister cannot enforce lawful directives in the capital without being challenged by uniformed men, what hope is there for civil authority in the states or local government areas?

    To be clear, Wike – for all his combative reputation – represents lawful authority in this instance. The attempt to block him is not merely an affront to his person, but to the very principle of civil supremacy. If soldiers can decide who may act on behalf of government, then governance itself becomes hostage to arbitrary power.

    The President, as Commander-in-Chief, must draw a line in the sand. The military cannot continue to act as an autonomous fiefdom immune from civilian oversight. A clear message must be sent – that soldiers who obstruct lawful government business will face consequences, no matter whose ‘land’ they claim to defend.

    Speaking to the press after the incident, Wike said he had spoken with the Chief of Defence Staff, General Olufemi Oluyede and the Chief of Naval, Staff, Vice Admiral Idi Abbas, who assured him the matter, would be resolved. That isn’t good enough. Yesterday’s drama played out before a global audience. It wasn’t good advertisement for law and order in the country.

    For starters, a proper and transparent investigation should be carried out to establish the true status of the land in question. For years land racketeering in the FCT was out of control.

    The soldiers insisted they were obeying orders. Whose orders? Did a serving officer issue those instructions? Is it true the orders they were those of a retired naval chief? It would be comic if officers no longer in service are still issuing commands to those still in uniform. That would a gross abuse of authority and uniform that needs not only to be investigated but punished.

    At stake here is more than one disputed plot in Abuja. It’s about whether Nigeria remains a country governed by law or one ruled by force. The clash between Wike and the Navy is a metaphor for a state losing its grip on order – where impunity, not discipline, defines the exercise of power.

    If civil authority cannot prevail in the heart of the Federal Capital, what does that say about the rule of law elsewhere? Until we break the habit of excusing lawlessness when it serves our selfish interests, democracy will remain fragile.

    Much of the rejoicing on social media was just perverse satisfaction at seeing a hated figure embarrassed. Many are not concerned about right or wrong. We all want a country where things work, yet are quick to applaud impunity for sentimental and emotional reasons.

    Many Nigerians would give an arm and a leg for visas to the ends of the earth. They don’t realise that those destinations are attractive because their governments insist on law and order. You cannot be dreaming of a capital city like Paris, London or Washington, while celebrating soldiers who prevent town planning officials from doing their duty.

    Nigerians must not forget that no matter how much we revile those presently in government they cannot serve beyond their tenure. Rather than allowing bile to blind us to good and bad, we should always look forward to the constitutional windows provided in election seasons to bring in those we prefer.

    We shouldn’t transfer hate for person to hate for country. It’s unprofitable and unwise. Your home will always be your home. We’ve seen much of this new mentality playing out in the recent threat by the U.S. President Donald Trump to launch a military action against Nigeria on account of alleged genocide against Christians.

    Many back the threat not because they care about Christianity or killings. They naively think that such an expedition would result in regime change. They don’t think about the day after. They don’t remember the times under President Muhammadu Buhari when the same America would not allow the government deploy the jets they sold us to attack terrorists – except under very stringent, almost impossible, conditions.

    Today, another U.S. president is recklessly threatening to come in ‘guns a-blazing’ and many who hate their country are cheering him on as though American air strikes are the cure all for all of Nigeria’s troubles.

    The Abuja incident isn’t the first time such a clash would occur. Be we should view it as the latest wake-up call. The armed forces must be reminded that their loyalty is to the constitution, not to institutional ego. Soldiers obey, while civilians govern. And civilian leaders, too, must learn to defend the rule of law consistently – not be intimidated. Impunity is like acid: once it spills, it corrodes everything in its path.

  • UPDATED: Naval officers clash with Wike over alleged land development in Abuja

    UPDATED: Naval officers clash with Wike over alleged land development in Abuja

    …vows not to bow to military intimidation over Plot 1946, Gaduwa

    Drama unfolded on Tuesday as Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister Nyesom Wike visited Plot 1946 in Gaduwa District, Abuja, following reports that soldiers had taken control of a disputed land, allegedly linked to former Chief of Naval Staff Vice Admiral Awwal Zubairu Gambo (rtd).

    During the unscheduled visit, Wike expressed outrage that officials from the FCT Department of Development Control had been chased away by armed soldiers while attempting to enforce a stop-work order previously issued by his office.

    The soldiers, led by Naval Lt. A. M. Yarima, had blocked access to the site with a truck and physically prevented the minister from entering.

    Wike stated that the site was flagged after FCT authorities discovered that the developers had no valid documents or legal approvals.

    According to Mukhtar Galadima, Director of Development Control, the property had not been allocated by the FCT Administration and lacked proper ownership or building permits.

    As Wike’s convoy approached the fenced plot, uniformed soldiers reportedly moved to deny him entry.

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    The minister stepped out of his vehicle, insisting he was there to inspect an illegal construction, but the soldiers stood firm, with their leader asserting he was acting on strict orders “from above.”

     “Who gave you the order?” Wike demanded, as he advanced toward the officer.

    The Naval Lt. A. M Yarima, refusing to back down, responded sharply:

    “Sir, you cannot tell me to keep quiet. I am a commissioned officer.”

    Unfazed, the soldier replied, “I am not a fool, sir, and you have no right to call me one.”

    The tense exchange ended with Wike turning away in anger and leaving the scene.

    Wike said, “You are aware that the land departments and Development Control have been mandated to monitor illegal developments and land grabbing in the FCT.

    “When this matter was brought to my attention, I directed that nothing should take place on that plot since there were no legal documents or urban regional approvals. Unfortunately, I was informed that soldiers chased our officials away”, he said.

    Wike said he was surprised to learn that the soldiers, allegedly acting on the instructions of the former Naval Chief, had taken over the property.

    “I don’t understand how someone who once occupied such a high office cannot come to the FCT Minister to explain his situation, but instead uses soldiers to intimidate people. I am not one of those who will succumb to blackmail or intimidation”, he added.

    According to him, when development control officials asked for the necessary land documents and building approvals, none were produced.

    “How can we continue to allow lawlessness to prevail in this country? What about those who do not have the military or security forces to protect them?” Wike queried.

    The Minister condemned any attempt to use security operatives to frustrate legitimate government enforcement actions, stressing that such behaviour would not be tolerated under his watch.

    He disclosed that he had already spoken with the Chief of Defence Staff and the Chief of Naval Staff, who assured him that the matter would be resolved amicably.

    “We are not here for confrontation or to cause chaos, but I will not allow illegality to thrive. The same way we enforce the law in other parts of Abuja is the same way we will do here. No one, not even a former Chief of Naval Staff, is above the law,” Wike declared.

    The FCT Administration had in recent months intensified efforts to curb land racketeering and illegal developments across the territory, with several high-profile properties already demolished for noncompliance with planning regulations.

    At the scene was also the FCT Commissioner of Police, Miller Dantawaye. 

  • Naval officers clash with Wike over alleged illegal development in Abuja

    Naval officers clash with Wike over alleged illegal development in Abuja

    Naval officers reportedly acting on orders from retired Vice Admiral Awwal Zubairu Gambo, former Chief of Naval Staff, confronted and blocked Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister Nyesom Wike on Monday during an inspection of an alleged illegal development.

    Wike, accompanied by senior FCT administration officials, visited plot 1946, Buffer Transit Southern Park Way, Gaduwa District, owned by Vice Admiral Gambo, where the Department of Development Control had planned a demolition.

    The military officers reportedly blocked the site with a truck to prevent bulldozers from gaining access and physically confronted the Minister, insisting he would not be allowed entry.

    Despite being shoved aside by the officers, Wike attempted to enter the site with his security aides but eventually turned back after making and receiving phone calls.

    He vowed, however, that the illegal development would not be allowed to continue.

    The FCT Minister stated that Vice Admiral Gambo has no approvals or legal papers to develop the land and accused him of attempting to seize it through intimidation.

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    Wike said, “I don’t understand how somebody who holds that position and he said that he has a problem cannot approach my office to say, look, this is what is going on, this is what is going on. But simply because he’s a military man, he could use that to intimidate Nigerians. I’m not one of those kinds of persons who will succumb to blackmail or intimidation.

    “And you can imagine where you cannot even prove where the documents are. And the Director of Development Control said, look, I was here. I said bring the documents, you don’t have the documents.

    “Bring the approval for building, you don’t have it. And how can we continue to allow lawlessness to prevail in this country? What about those who don’t have the military? What about those who don’t have security? It has gotten to a level where when government officials are doing, carrying out their job, you go and bring security to intimidate them. And this government official, I will not accept that.

    “I’ve spoken to the Chief of Defence Staff and I’ve spoken to the Chief of Naval Staff, and they have assured me that, please, they have to resolve the matter. And we’re not coming here to have a shootout with anybody to cause chaos and all. But what I can say, I would not allow it to happen.

    “The way we have done and carried out our jobs in other areas is the same way it will be done here. He will not carry out this illegal deployment on land simply because he was a former Chief of Naval Staff. I would not allow that.”