The Minister of Defence, Mohammed Badaru, says the military will defend Ahmad Yerima, the naval officer who had an altercation with the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, over access to a disputed land in Abuja, if the officer was performing a lawful duty.
The minister stated this while addressing journalists at a ministerial press briefing on the 2026 Armed Forces Remembrance Celebration held on Wednesday at the National Defence College, Abuja.
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PREMIUM TIMES reports that Mr Yerima, a lieutenant, repeatedly refused to comply with Mr Wike’s directive to grant the minister and other Abuja administration officials access to the land. Even when the minister used foul language, such as calling him a fool, he maintained his composure and continued to insist that he was obeying orders.
“I am not a fool, sir. I am acting on instructions, and I am a commissioned officer,” Mr Yerima repeatedly countered the minister.
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Mr Wike demanded documents to justify the soldiers’ presence, insisting that no one, regardless of rank, is above the law.
“Show me the document you have. You have no document,” the minister said.
But in response, Mr Yerima told the minister he and his team were acting on “orders.”
Lere Olayinka, an aide to Mr Wike later said the land in dispute was controversially acquired by a former Chief of Naval Staff, Zubairu Gambo, a retired vice admiral, suggesting either the vice admiral or naval authorities sent Mr Yerima and others on Tuesday’s mission.
Minister Speaks
When he was asked about Mr Yerima’s conduct, Mr Badaru was quoted by the News Agency of Nigeria as saying, “Well, at the ministry, and indeed the Armed Forces, we will always protect our officers on lawful duty.
“So we are looking into this issue, and we assure that any officer on lawful duty will be protected highly.
“So we will not allow anything to happen to him, so far he is doing his job, and he is doing his job greatly well.”
Neither the military nor its naval component has officially reacted to Mr Yarima’s conduct, as of the time of this report.
Mr Badaru, a civilian, heads the defence ministry, which supervises the administrative component of the various arms of the military but has no control over its operational duties.
In his reaction, former Chief of Army Staff Tukur Buratai described Mr Wike’s action as a threat to national security, advising him to apologise to the military.
Mr Buratai’s stance was contained in a statement he sent to journalists.
