Fresh pressure is reportedly mounting on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to sack the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, following his recent confrontation with a naval officer during an inspection exercise in Abuja.
The incident, which took place at an alleged illegal land site linked to a former Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Awwal Zubairu Gambo (rtd), has drawn sharp reactions from security and political quarters, with growing concerns that Wike’s actions could jeopardize the delicate civil–military relationship.
WesternLifeNewsNG recalls, Wike had led officials of the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) to inspect the disputed property said to have been fenced off under the instructions of the former naval chief. Vice Admiral Gambo was alleged to have sent a junior officer, Lieutenant Ibrahim Yerima, to secure the site pending further directives.
Trouble began when Wike’s convoy attempted to gain access to the property, but the naval officer reportedly prevented entry, stating that he was acting on the orders of his superior. The exchange quickly escalated as the visibly angered minister confronted the officer, using some abusive words during the altercation, while the junior officer remained calm but maintained his stand.
The incident immediately attracted the attention of the Defence Headquarters and the Ministry of Defence. The Chief of Defence Staff, General Olufemi Olatubosun Oluyede, together with the Minister of Defence, Mohammed Badaru Abubakar, and the Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle, reportedly threw their weight behind the naval officer. They described Lieutenant Yerima’s action as professional and consistent with military discipline and hierarchy, noting that he had merely carried out superior orders.
WesternLifeNewsNG learnt that some military hierarchy views the minister’s action as “an unnecessary show of power capable of straining civil–military relations.”
Some argued that, “the officer did not act on his own but on instructions from a former service chief. The minister should have channeled his grievance through the proper inter-agency communication line rather than resorting to public confrontation.”
However, some legal practitioners and governance analysts have sided with Wike, insisting that as FCT Minister, he possesses full constitutional authority over land administration in Abuja.
A senior Abuja-based lawyer, Barrister Michael Ekpenyong, argued that “no officer of any rank has the right to prevent a minister from performing his lawful duties. Even if the land belongs to a former naval chief, the FCTA reserves the power to inspect or revoke any land illegally acquired.”
Another legal expert, Barrister Tunde Fawole, stressed that the officer, though following orders, “should have exercised caution and reported to higher military authorities instead of standing in the way of a serving minister on official duty.”
Amid the mounting pressure, an unconfirmed report indicates that President Tinubu has yet to consider any punitive measure against Wike.
A presidency source revealed that the President is awaiting a comprehensive report from the Defence Headquarters and the Office of the National Security Adviser before taking any decision.
“For now, the President is studying the matter carefully and may act decisively once the full report is presented,” the source disclosed.
Political observers believe that President Tinubu’s handling of the matter will be a major test of his administration’s commitment to discipline, civility, and institutional balance within his cabinet. The incident has once again brought Wike’s confrontational leadership style into focus, admired by some for decisiveness but criticized by others as overbearing.
As of press time, neither the Defence Headquarters nor the FCT Administration had issued an official statement on the outcome of the confrontation.
