The Wike/Yerima face-off: The case of two wrongs
The embarrassing confrontation between Minister Nyesom Wike and the young Naval officer yesterday reflects the deeper problems confronting Nigeria’s democracy. The erosion of democratic norms did not begin with that altercation, it has been ongoing for years through the weaponisation of law enforcement agencies. We have repeatedly seen security personnel act in questionable ways that […]
The embarrassing confrontation between Minister Nyesom Wike and the young Naval officer yesterday reflects the deeper problems confronting Nigeria’s democracy. The erosion of democratic norms did not begin with that altercation, it has been ongoing for years through the weaponisation of law enforcement agencies. We have repeatedly seen security personnel act in questionable ways that make Nigerians doubt their true loyalty if it is to the State, the law, or powerful individuals.
In today’s Nigeria, it takes only a slight provocation for an influential person to deploy security operatives to enforce illegal orders. From Oworonsoki to Kogi, Rivers, and Abuja, we have witnessed security agents being used to advance private interests. Unfortunately, this culture of impunity has grown out of extreme political polarisation and the gradual weakening of democratic institutions.
Whatever the circumstances, Minister Wike had no business personally visiting the disputed site to confront military officers carrying out a ‘lawful’ directive from their superior. As a senior public official, he ought to have acted with restraint and followed due process. If he believed that the land was illegally acquired by a former Naval Chief, the right approach would have been to gather evidence and present it to the appropriate authorities or to the courts.
Ideally, Wike should have written to the Minister of Defence, highlighting any irregularities and demanding official action. Alternatively, he could have sought legal redress in court (that’s if the issue is not already a subject of litigation). But, by physically storming the site with armed escorts and verbally attacking a commissioned officer to the point of referring to him as a “fool”, the Minister clearly overstepped his bounds and violated public decorum expected of a public officer.
Meanwhile, this incident further highlights the fragility of Nigeria’s democracy and the growing anger of citizens towards the political elite.
There is no gainsaying that there is a legitimate need for government to remove illegal structures in the Federal Capital Territory, and, anywhere else. However, the manner of enforcement must respect due process and human dignity.
Beyond condemning Wike’s conduct, the incident exposes a broader problem of the misuse of security personnel by the powerful. To be candid, it was equally wrong for the former Chief of Naval Staff to deploy officers managed with taxpayers to protect a private parcel of land under dispute. Regardless of the situation, there can be no justification for such abuse of public resources. It reflects a wider culture in which elites treat security agencies as private guards to serve personal interests.
No responsible government should tolerate the kind of spectacle witnessed between Minister Wike and the Naval officer. It was disgraceful and damaging to the image of the country.
The President must address this culture of lawlessness decisively. Leadership demands calmness, respect for due process, and commitment to democratic ideals. But, when officials act as overlords instead of servants of the people, the foundation of governance begins to crumble.
Kazeem Olalekan Israel wrote from Ibadan