The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) on Tuesday shared a cryptic post on its official X handle after viral videos showed the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, in a heated altercation with a naval officer, Ahmad Yerima, over a disputed piece of land in Abuja.
On Tuesday night, hours after the controversy, the Defence Headquarters posted a message that many observers interpreted as a subtle response to the incident. The post, shared on its verified X account (@DHQNigeria), read: “IT IS AN HONOUR TO SERVE IN THE NIGERIAN MILITARY. UNSHAKEN. UNBENT. UNBROKEN.”
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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 fueled 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.
PREMIUM TIMES reported that Mohammed Badaru, the Minister of Defence, praised the naval officer, promising to ensure he is protected if he was performing a lawful duty.
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The incident
Videos of the incident show that Mr Wike was confronted by Mr Yerima, a lieutenant, who led soldiers deployed to prevent FCT officials from carrying out a demolition exercise on the contested site.
Mr Wike demanded that the soldiers provide documents to justify their presence on the site, noting that no one, regardless of rank, is above the law.
In response, Mr Yarima said his team was acting on “orders” and that his principals have the necessary land documents.
Mr Wike, visibly furious, rebuked the officers, saying, “I am the minister—you can’t say that to me. This kind of impunity cannot continue.”
He accused the naval personnel of using their uniforms to protect illegal buildings and obstructing legitimate government work, stressing that soldiers must not intimidate officials carrying out lawful duties.
At a point, Mr Wike accused the officers of taking actions that could have put lives at risk.
“If not for the Chief of Defence Staff, who just called me, there might have been casualties,” he said, implying that his team was ready to confront the soldiers, which could have led to violence.
The situation intensified when Mr Wike yelled at the naval officer, calling him a fool. However, the officer countered him, saying: “I am not a fool, sir. I am acting on instructions, and I am a commissioned officer.”
The incident has led to intense public discussion, with some Nigerians criticising the minister for his actions and use of words, others criticising Mr Yerima for disrespecting Mr Wike, who represents President Bola Tinubu in Abuja, and still others criticising the military hierarchy for deploying soldiers over a land dispute.
The DHQ has not issued any formal clarification regarding its post, but its wording has been widely interpreted as a reaffirmation of military pride, discipline, and resilience amid growing public discourse about the role of the military in a democracy.
The clash between Mr Wike and the naval officer occurred during the minister’s visit to inspect lands in the Gaduwa district area of Abuja, where he accused the Navy of encroaching on property belonging to the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA). The officer, however, maintained that the land had been legally allocated to his principals.
An aide to Mr Wike said the land belongs to a former Chief of Naval Staff, Zubairu Gambo, a retired Vice Admiral.
Lere Olayinka, the FCT minister’s aide, posted on X that Mr Gambo was “scammed” by the person who sold the land to him.
“He needs to use his Military Might against the person who sold land meant for PARK and RECREATION to him to build DUPLEXES, not FCTA officials carrying out their lawful duties,” Mr Olayinka posted.
READ ALSO:We’ll protect him if…, Defence Minister speaks on naval officer who confronted Wike
Following the officer’s faceoff with his principal, Mr Olayinka explained that Mr Gambo deployed armed soldiers to the site “because he was told to stop building on a land he has no TITLE DOCUMENT and Building Approval.”
“He also stationed armed Military Men to protect the illegal development, with the Military Men threatening to shoot anyone who interfere with them,” claimed.
In what appears to be a display of military solidarity on the matter, a former Chief of Army Staff, Tukur Buratai, described the minister’s action as a threat to national security.
He urged Mr Wike to apologise to the military.
