Nigeria’s junior Defence Minister, Bello Matawalle, has publicly criticised the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, for confronting a naval officer at a disputed land site in Abuja despite being cautioned by military leaders to wait for an investigation.
The incident, which occurred at a property in Gaduwa District, Gudu, sparked outrage after a video surfaced showing Wike in a heated exchange with Lieutenant Commander AM Yerima, who reportedly acted under orders from his superiors.
Speaking in an interview with DCL Hausa, Matawalle described the encounter as “unfortunate,” adding that Wike had earlier contacted the Chief of Defence Staff and the Chief of Naval Staff, both of whom advised him to wait while the matter was being investigated.
‘He Should Have Waited For The Investigation’
Matawalle explained that the naval officer conducted himself with restraint and respect, simply carrying out lawful orders.
“Wike should not have exchanged words with the officer. He should have channelled his complaints through the officer’s superiors,” the minister said.
He stressed that the officer “did not commit any offence under military regulations,” noting that “anyone who disrespects a soldier indirectly disrespects the President, who is the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces.”
The Defence Minister added that Wike’s decision to rush to the scene against advice from service chiefs showed a lack of patience expected of a public leader.
“As a leader, he ought to have waited for the outcome of the investigation instead of personally confronting the officers,” Matawalle said.
‘Procedure, Not Confrontation, Solves Disputes’
According to him, the Chief of Naval Staff had already assured Wike that a proper inquiry would be carried out to determine the rightful ownership of the land.
“If the land has been revoked, there are established procedures to be followed diplomatically, not through confrontation,” he added.
Matawalle revealed that the Chief of Naval Staff has since visited the disputed site to commence an official investigation.
He also disclosed that his ministry has not received a formal complaint from the FCT Minister but that he personally reached out to Wike after the video went viral.
“I called him and advised that he should have spoken with me before going there rather than confronting the officers directly,” the Defence Minister concluded.
The substantive Minister of Defence, Mohammed Badaru, had earlier on Wednesday taken a similar position. He said while the government was looking into the issue, “we will always protect our officers on lawful duty,” Badaru said.
While the altercation has split public opinion, as the dust begins to settle over the matter, a growing consensus is emerging that the often abrasive and loquacious FCT Minister took his luck too far this time, with a young, astute military officer, who stood his ground, carrying out orders he received from his superiors.
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