Public Outcry Grows After Wike’s Showdown with Military Officer

Reactions to the dramatic altercation between Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister Nyesom Wike and a military officer during an enforcement drill in Abuja on Tuesday were divided throughout the nation.

The Minister reportedly got into a violent altercation with some soldiers about access to a property inside the territory in a video clip that went viral online.

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), the former Chief of Naval Staff.

In the video, Wike is seen arguing angrily with uniformed soldiers manning the property, claiming that the developers did not have building approval or legitimate ownership. The minister became obviously enraged when one of the soldiers disobeyed his order and yelled:

“Be quiet! Stay silent! You’re a moron. You were still in elementary school at the time I graduated. Who are you intimidating with soldiers? All of us are from this nation. You would have to murder everyone here if it weren’t for the CDS who just talked to me.

Since then, the video has sparked public discussion on the Minister’s and the soldier’s behavior.

Critics contend that Wike’s strategy demonstrated a lack of moderation and respect for institutional order, while his supporters praise his determination and zero tolerance for criminality.

Reacting, Wike

Following the event, Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister Nyesom Wike denounced in a statement what he called an unlawful possession of a disputed piece of land 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.

“Illegal development and land grabbing must be monitored by the Land Departments and Development Control,” he stated. “I instructed that nothing should happen there because there were no legal documentation or approvals when this situation was brought to my attention. Unfortunately, our officials were chased away by military.

Following allegations that military had once more returned to obstruct FCTA officers from conducting lawful enforcement, Wike said he personally visited the location.

He remarked, “I don’t understand how someone who once held such a high office can’t go to the FCT Minister to explain his situation instead of using soldiers to intimidate people.” “I refuse to become a victim of intimidation or blackmail.”

The ministry also disclosed that the developers did not provide building approval or ownership documentation.

“They have nothing, no paperwork, no approvals. How are we going to let lawlessness continue? What about regular Nigerians who are not supported by the military?

According to Wike, he has already contacted the Chief of Naval Staff and the Chief of Defense Staff, both of whom pledged to take action.

“We’re not here to start trouble or engage in gunfights with anyone. However, I won’t let this occur. No one will be permitted to engage in illicit development of government property, even past Chiefs of Naval Staff.

He warned that the FCTA will keep reclaiming encroached areas “no matter how powerful the individuals involved,” reiterating his commitment to reestablishing responsibility and order in Abuja’s land administration.

An APC leader demands that the officer be fired.

In response to the altercation, Joe Igbokwe, a leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), demanded that the soldier who spoke with Wike face disciplinary punishment.

Igbokwe was furious over the altercation and demanded in a Facebook post that the soldier’s uniform “be removed” for what he called an act of disobedience.

This man in uniform—who is he? What kind of meat is it? For him, who is pounding the drum? This cannot be tolerated. He ought to take off his uniform,” Igbokwe wrote.

Wike went beyond his comfort zone. Ex-Minister of Aviation Chidoka

Osita Chidoka, the former minister of aviation, disagreed, criticizing Wike’s strategy and charging him with abusing his power.

Chidoka called the FCT Minister’s choice to personally execute an order “a fundamental misstep” in a statement headlined “Minister Wike: Power, Process, and the Rule of Law.”

“The President and the Nigerian state’s sovereignty are represented by any law enforcement personnel, whether they are dressed in uniform or not. The Republic’s authority is diminished if such an officer is abused, according to Chidoka.

He maintained that rather than acting on their own initiative, ministers should operate through established organizations.

If the officers had been behaving illegally, a written notification to the Minister of Defence would have been sufficient. He continued, “Trading words with a uniformed officer undermines discipline and perverts rank.

Wike’s DSS security aides’ behavior was also criticized by Chidoka, who stated that their job was to reduce rather than increase tensions.

He described the encounter as “a cautionary tale” about power, procedure, and restraint in public office, adding that “their responsibility was to extract their principal from a potentially dangerous situation, not to escalate it.”

Shehu Sani says Wike shouldn’t perform stunts with soldiers.

Shehu Sani, a former senator from Kaduna, cautioned Wike against engaging in “performative confrontations” with security guards.

In a post on X, Sani said, “Wike is doing an excellent job in Abuja, but he should not be encouraged to do this kind of stunt with soldiers.”

Veterans of the military slam Wike, please apologize.

A coalition of Nigerian military veterans, meanwhile, also denounced the minister’s outburst, charging him with demeaning public institutions and insulting a uniformed officer.

The Coalition of Military Veterans claimed Wike’s remarks were inappropriate for a public figure in a statement released by its spokesperson, Abiodun Durowaiye-Herberts.

“On camera, how can a minister call an officer ‘a fool’?” Inquired Durowaiye-Herberts. “If he was at fault, he ought to have had a private conversation with the Chief of Naval Staff instead of trying to bring shame to a retired senior officer.”

The organization threatened to stage protests if any attempt was made to punish the soldier involved.

The statement cautioned that “military veterans will occupy the office and residence of the FCT Minister if for any reason the officer is punished.”

The veterans demanded that Wike issue an apology in public.

The statement stated, “Military officers swear loyalty to the nation, not to individual public officials.” “Wike’s behavior diminishes the honor of the minister’s position. He ought to express regret for his derogatory remarks. It’s not appropriate behavior.

CSO: A sign of a failing system

The alleged deployment of soldiers by former Chief of Naval Staff Vice Admiral Awwal Zubairu Gambo (rtd) to guard a disputed piece 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 occurrence 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 on Tuesday by its president, Olu Omotayo.

According to Omotayo, it is unsettling that a retired senior military general could send troops to defend private property when terrorists and robbers are besieging various areas of the nation.

The statement said, “Redundant officers are being deployed to guard an empty land when terrorists and bandits have taken over some parts of the country, maiming and killing Nigerians daily, in a country where the security of lives and property cannot be guaranteed.”

He remembered that General Olufemi Oluyede, the current Chief of Defense Staff, had previously told the National Assembly that the military was increasingly being used to carry out police tasks; he claimed that this “further exposes the institutional decay in the system.”

According to CRRAN, there is no legal foundation for the former Naval Chief’s purported force deployment under the Nigerian Constitution.

Omotayo clarified that the Armed Forces can only assist civil authorities when called upon by the President and under circumstances specified by a National Assembly Act, citing Section 217(2)(c) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) and a Court of Appeal ruling in Hon. Minister of Defence & Anor v. Ochikiri & Ors (2020) LPELR-51352(CA).

He declared, “The Abuja land dispute is neither an emergency nor an uprising to justify military deployment through the President or the National Assembly.”

The group cautioned that if such acts go unpunished, they could encourage impunity and jeopardize citizens’ constitutionally protected fundamental rights.

“Deploying troops over a land dispute is unlawful and an attack on the rule of law, regardless of the motivation behind it. The statement went on, “We strongly condemn the deployment of troops by a former Chief of Naval Staff to deny FCT officials access to the land.”

Instead of being utilized for personal gain, Omotayo asked the military to concentrate its efforts on battling insurgency and banditry in some areas of the nation.

In the unstable regions of the nation where bandits have gained control, military presence and action are most urgently needed. Before the nation further deteriorates in the eyes of the world, this needs to be done immediately, according to CRRAN.

The group urged Nigerians to be watchful and oppose any attempts by people or organizations to break the law.

Buratai: Wike’s move poses a threat to national security

Tukur Buratai, a former chief of army staff, strongly denounced Wike’s behavior.

Buratai demanded a quick reaction in a statement, characterizing the conflict as a danger to national security.

“His public denigration of a Nigerian Armed Forces uniformed officer goes beyond simple misconduct; it poses a real threat to institutional integrity and national security,” stated Buratai.

He continued by saying that a minister’s verbal abuse of a military officer harms the morale of personnel in the armed services, disrespects the Commander-in-Chief’s authority, and threatens the chain of command.

Buratai urged the minister to apologize to President Bola Tinubu and the concerned officer, saying, “This action by Wike is clearly an indication of undermining the federal government’s authority.”

“The security of our country must come first.” It’s time for serious action, not military-bashing politics. Nothing less is required for the integrity of our Armed Forces,” he continued.