THE dramatic confrontation between the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Nyesom Wike, and a military officer during an enforcement exercise in Abuja on Tuesday sparked mixed reactions across the country.
VAM News reported that in a video clip widely circulating on the Internet, the Minister could be seen in a heated argument with some soldiers over access to a property within the territory.
The clash occurred when Wike and officials of the Federal Capital Territory Administration, FCTA, attempted to gain access to a disputed plot of land allegedly linked to former Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Awwal Zubairu Gambo (rtd).
In the footage, Wike is seen in a heated exchange with uniformed soldiers guarding the site, insisting that the developers lacked valid ownership or building approval. When one of the soldiers resisted his directive, the minister, visibly angered, lashed out, saying:
“Shut up! Keep quiet! You are a fool. As at the time I graduated, you were still in primary school… You send soldiers to intimidate who? We are all from this country… If not for the CDS who spoke to me now, you would have to kill everybody here.”
The video has since ignited public debate over the conduct of both the Minister and the soldier.
While Wike’s supporters hail his firmness and zero tolerance for illegality, critics argue that his approach betrayed a lack of restraint and respect for institutional order.
Wike reacts
Following the incident, Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, in a statement, condemned what he described as an illegal occupation of a disputed plot of land in Abuja by military personnel allegedly acting under the orders of a former Chief of Naval Staff.
In a Facebook post by his media aide, Lere Olayinka, Wike said the act was “lawless and unacceptable,” stressing that no one, no matter how highly placed, would be allowed to obstruct the enforcement of Abuja’s development laws.
“The Land Departments and Development Control have been mandated to monitor illegal development and land grabbing,” he said. “When this issue was brought to my attention, I directed that nothing should take place there since there were no legal documents or approvals. Unfortunately, soldiers chased our officials away.”
Wike said he personally visited the site after reports that soldiers had again returned to block FCTA officials from carrying out lawful enforcement.
“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,” he said. “I am not one of those who will succumb to blackmail or intimidation.”
The minister further revealed that the developers failed to present ownership documents or building approval.
“They have no papers, no approvals — nothing. How can we continue to allow lawlessness to prevail? What about ordinary Nigerians who don’t have the military behind them?”
Wike said he had already reached out to the Chief of Defence Staff and the Chief of Naval Staff, who promised to address the situation.
“We’re not here to have a shootout with anybody or cause chaos. But I will not allow this to happen. Nobody, whether a former Chief of Naval Staff or anyone else, will be allowed to carry out illegal development on government land.”
He reaffirmed his resolve to restore order and accountability in Abuja’s land administration, warning that the FCTA would continue reclaiming encroached areas “no matter how powerful the individuals involved.”
APC chieftain calls for officer’s dismissal
In his reaction to the confrontation, a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Joe Igbokwe, called for disciplinary action against the soldier who exchanged words with Wike.
In a Facebook post, Igbokwe expressed outrage at the confrontation, demanding that the soldier’s uniform “be removed” for what he described as an act of insubordination.
“Who is this man in uniform? Of what meat is he fed? Who is beating the drum for him? This is unacceptable. His uniform has to be removed,” Igbokwe wrote.
Wike overstepped his bounds – Ex-Aviation Minister Chidoka
Former Minister of Aviation, Osita Chidoka, however, took a different view, faulting Wike’s approach and accusing him of overstepping his authority.
In a statement titled “Minister Wike: Power, Process, and the Rule of Law”, Chidoka said the FCT Minister’s decision to personally enforce a directive was “a fundamental misstep.”
“Any law enforcement officer, in uniform or plain clothes, represents the President and the sovereignty of the Nigerian state. To abuse such an officer is to diminish the authority of the Republic itself,” Chidoka said.
He argued that ministers are expected to act through established institutions, not personal impulse.
“A formal communication to the Minister of Defence would have sufficed if the officers were acting unlawfully. Trading words with a uniformed officer corrodes discipline and confuses hierarchy,” he added.
Chidoka also criticised the conduct of Wike’s DSS security aides, saying their role was to de-escalate tensions, not worsen them.
“Their responsibility was to extract their principal from a potentially dangerous situation, not to escalate it,” he noted, describing the encounter as “a cautionary tale” about power, process, and restraint in public office.
Wike shouldn’t do stunts with soldiers – Shehu Sani
Former Kaduna senator, Shehu Sani, urged caution, advising Wike against what he termed “performative confrontations” with security personnel.
“Wike is doing an excellent job in Abuja,” Sani said in a post on X, “but he should not be encouraged to do this kind of stunt with soldiers.”
Military veterans slam Wike, demand apology
However, a coalition of Nigerian military veterans also condemned the minister’s outburst, accusing him of insulting a uniformed officer and undermining the dignity of public institutions.
In a statement by its spokesperson, Abiodun Durowaiye-Herberts, the Coalition of Military Veterans said Wike’s comments were unbecoming of a public official.
“How can a minister call an officer ‘a fool’ on camera?” Durowaiye-Herberts asked. “If he was responsible, he should have engaged the Chief of Naval Staff privately rather than attempting to disgrace a retired senior officer.”
The group warned against any attempt to punish the soldier involved, threatening protests if such action was taken.
“If for any reason the officer is punished, military veterans will occupy the office and residence of the FCT Minister,” the spokesperson warned.
The veterans insisted that Wike should publicly apologise.
“Military officers swear loyalty to the nation, not to individual public officials,” the statement read. “Wike’s action demeans the dignity of the minister’s office. He should apologise for using abusive language. It is not acceptable behaviour.”
Sign of failed system – CSO
Meanwhile, the Civil Rights Realisation and Advancement Network, CRRAN, has condemned 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, describing the action as unconstitutional and an assault on the rule of law.
In a statement signed by its president, Olu Omotayo, and made available to DAILY POST on Tuesday, the group said the incident represents “an aberration in a constitutional democracy” and a “clear sign of a failed system” where the military is misused for private interests.
Omotayo said it was disturbing that a retired senior military officer could deploy troops to protect personal property while many parts of the country are under siege by terrorists and bandits.
“In a country where the security of lives and property cannot be guaranteed, 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,” the statement read.
He recalled that the current Chief of Defence Staff, General Olufemi Oluyede, had earlier informed the National Assembly that the military was increasingly being deployed to perform police duties — a situation, he said, “further exposes the institutional decay in the system.”
CRRAN maintained that the alleged deployment of troops by the former Naval Chief has no legal basis under the Nigerian Constitution.
Citing Section 217(2)(c) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) and a Court of Appeal decision in Hon. Minister of Defence & Anor v. Ochikiri & Ors (2020) LPELR-51352(CA), Omotayo explained that the Armed Forces can only act in aid of civil authorities when called upon by the President and under conditions prescribed by an Act of the National Assembly.
“The issue over Abuja land is neither an emergency nor an insurrection to warrant military deployment through the President or the National Assembly,” he said.
The group warned that such actions, if left unchecked, could embolden impunity and undermine citizens’ fundamental rights guaranteed by the Constitution.
“For whatever reason or motive, the deployment of troops over a land matter is unconstitutional and an assault on the rule of law. We condemn in all ramifications the deployment of troops by a former Chief of Naval Staff to prevent FCT officials from accessing the land,” the statement continued.
Omotayo urged the military to focus its efforts on combating insurgency and banditry in parts of the country rather than being used for private purposes.
“Military presence and action are most needed now in the troubled parts of the country where bandits have taken over. This should be done urgently before the country further deteriorates in the eyes of the world,” CRRAN stated.
The group called on Nigerians to remain vigilant and resist any attempts by individuals or groups to act outside the law.
Wike’s action threat to national security – Buratai
On his part, a former Chief of Army Staff, Tukur Buratai, roundly condemned Wike’s action.
In a statement, Buratai described the confrontation as a threat to national security and called for an immediate response.
“His public disparagement of a uniformed officer of the Nigerian Armed Forces transcends mere misconduct; it represents a palpable threat to national security and institutional integrity,” Buratai said.
He added that a minister’s verbal assault on a military officer undermines the chain of command, disrespects the authority of the Commander-in-Chief, and damages the morale of those serving in the armed forces.
“This action by Wike is clearly an indication of undermining the federal government’s authority,” Buratai said, urging the minister to apologise to President Bola Tinubu and the officer involved.
“Our nation’s security must come first. It is time for decisive action, not politics of military bashing. The integrity of our Armed Forces demands nothing less,” he added.