Wike vs naval personnel: We’ll protect officers on lawful duty – FG

The Minister of Defence, Mohammed Badaru, said the federal government and military leadership will safeguard all soldiers engaged in lawful duties. Daily Trust reported on Tuesday that an altercation occurred between FCT Minister Nyesom Wike and a Navy lieutenant, A.M. Yerima, over the development of a plot of land in Abuja, allegedly belonging to former […]

The Minister of Defence, Mohammed Badaru, said the federal government and military leadership will safeguard all soldiers engaged in lawful duties.

Daily Trust reported on Tuesday that an altercation occurred between FCT Minister Nyesom Wike and a Navy lieutenant, A.M. Yerima, over the development of a plot of land in Abuja, allegedly belonging to former Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Awwal Gambo.

The incident has sparked widespread reactions on social media. Yerima’s composure has drawn praise, with users describing him as “courageous” and “brave.”

Badaru, who was reacting to the face-off, explained that the Armed Forces would not punish the navy lieutenant or any officer on lawful duty.

Fielding questions from journalists during a press conference on the 2026 Armed Forces Remembrance Day in Abuja on Wednesday, Badaru said: “Well, at the ministry, and indeed in the armed forces, we will always protect our officers on lawful duty.

“So, we are looking into this issue, and we assure you that any officer on lawful duty will be highly protected.

“We will not allow anything to happen to him as long as he is doing his job, and he is doing his job very well.”

 

DHQ cryptic post

The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) on Tuesday shared a cryptic post on its official X handle after the viral video.

The post, shared on its verified X account (@DHQNigeria), read: “IT IS AN HONOUR TO SERVE IN THE NIGERIAN MILITARY. UNSHAKEN. UNBENT. UNBROKEN.”

The post, accompanied by an image of a saluting soldier, did not directly reference Mr Wike or the Abuja land dispute.

However, the timing and tone of the statement have fuelled speculation that it was a veiled approval of the courage of the naval officer who confronted the minister, maintaining decorum even when the minister used foul language.

 

Ex-naval chief was scammed — Wike’s aide

Lere Olayinka, media aide to Wike, claimed that Awwal Gambo, a former Chief of Naval Staff, was scammed in a land dispute in Abuja and resorted to military force to assert his claim.

Speaking about the matter on Sunrise Daily, a Channels Television programme, on Wednesday, Olayinka said Gambo does not possess a title document proving ownership of the disputed land.

He challenged Gambo to confirm whether he submitted a building plan for the land to the FCT Development Control Office and whether those plans were approved.

Olayinka recounted how the land was allocated in 2007 to one Santos Estate Limited for park and recreation purposes.

He said the company did not develop the land because it was designated as a parkway and walkway.

Olayinka said in 2022, Santos Estate Limited requested the FCT to convert the land’s use to commercial use, adding that the then Minister of FCT refused to approve the conversion.

He said following the refusal, the company allegedly began partitioning and selling the land, including to the former naval chief.

Buratai: Wike’s conduct a threat to national security

On his part, a former Chief of Army Staff, Lt Gen Tukur Yusuf Buratai (Rtd), described the confrontation as a grave threat to Nigeria’s national security and institutional integrity.

Buratai said, “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,” he warned. “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.”

The retired general called for immediate redress. “Barrister 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,” he said.

Yerima courageous against Wike’s intimidation – Kperogi

Journalism professor and columnist, Farooq Kperogi, has weighed in on the viral confrontation, describing it as a rare moment of defiance against intimidation.

Kperogi noted that many Nigerians saw Yerima as the first person to publicly stand up to Wike’s “boisterous, venomous-tongued cantankerousness.”

He said Yerima’s repeated refrain of “I am not a fool, sir” went beyond a retort, but symbolised “respectful but firm defiance to an insufferably self-important ministerial hoodlum.”

He praised Yerima’s composure, courage, and self-assuredness, stressing that despite generational and political asymmetries, the young officer “stood his ground and caused Wike to beat a humiliating retreat.”

According to him, Yerima embodied Malcolm X’s exhortation: “Be peaceful, be courteous, obey the law, respect everyone; but if someone puts his hand on you, send him to the cemetery.”

Peter Obi, former presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), said the clash is an “unfortunate reflection of the growing institutional disorder” in Nigeria.

Reacting in a post on Wednesday, Obi said the episode reflects the growing disregard for institutional protocols in the country.

The former Anambra governor added that the incident raises urgent questions about the use of the military in civilian matters, the respect for administrative boundaries, and the culture of civility.

He said, “Beyond the personalities involved, this incident raises fundamental questions that demand honest national reflection: Should the military be used for purely civil operations?”

‘Rule of Law, not sentiment, governs land dispute’

In a social post, a presidential aide, Gimba Kakanda, cautioned against framing the clash between Wike and naval officers as mere theatrics, insisting that the controversy must be understood within the framework of the Land Use Act.

“Those teasing the minister as a land grabber ignore the fact that, like governors, he is the legal trustee of all land in his jurisdiction,” Kakanda said. He noted that Section 5 of the Act vests wide powers in the Governor or FCT Minister to allocate, manage, and revoke land for overriding public interest.

He argued that military interference in civil administration undermines constitutional supremacy. “Obedience to a manifestly unlawful command is no defence under the doctrine of superior orders,” he said.

Kakanda added that the uproar is largely emotional and political. “The rule of law must prevail over sentiment and military defiance in a civilian democracy,” he said.

“I commend the gallantry of this military officer, Lieutenant A.M. Yerima, for his unshakable boldness and composure despite the offensive utterances from the FCT minister, Wike. He’s well-trained and fearless; he refused to be bullied,” one user posted on X.

“Discipline, courage, and integrity. The true spirit of the Nigerian military. The young officer A.M Yerima stood his ground with professionalism and honour,” said another X user.