Wike addresses clash with soldiers, vows to end illegal buildings in Abuja

The Minister in charge of Nigeria’s Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Ezenwo Nyesom Wike, has vowed to halt illegal constructions in all parts of the territory no matter the party involved.

This followed a major confrontation on Tuesday, November 11, 2025 when military officers from the Nigerian Navy obstructed Mr Wike during an inspection of “illegal construction activities” in the Gaduwa District of the city, along the corridor of the Bola Ahmed Tinubu Way in the FCT.

The Minister, accompanied by his team, including the Director of Development Control, Town Planner Mukhtar Galadima, visited the site where an unauthorized development was ongoing.

During the visit, the Minister and his team were prevented from accessing the site by naval officers on the claim that they were acting on orders, allegedly from a former Chief of Naval Staff, who was accused of constructing without requisite title documents or Development Control Approval.

Speaking after the incident, Mr Wike vowed that the FCT Administration would not succumb to intimidation or blackmail.

“The way we have carried out our job in other areas is the same way it will be done here,” he said. “He will not carry out this illegal development and land grabbing, simply because he was a former Chief of Naval Staff. I will not allow that”.

Addressing journalists immediately after the tense standoff, Mr Wike condemned the retired officer’s actions, describing them as an act of lawlessness on the part of the Nigerian Military.

According to a statement by spokesperson in his office, Rabi Musa Umar, the minister said, “I did instruct them [FCTA officials] to make sure that nothing takes place, in as much as they did not have any legal paper in terms of building approval or even acquisition of the land. When they came here, I was informed that the military chased them away. So, today, I was called that the military have taken over the place and I had to come to see things for myself”.

The Minister questioned the use of military personnel to protect what he described as a clear case of illegal development and land grabbing and vowed that he will not allow such to continue.

“It’s really unfortunate, and you heard what the officer said, he was sent by the former Chief of Naval Staff. I don’t understand how somebody who attained that position and he sees that he has a problem, cannot approach my office to explain what is going on. Or simply because he’s a military man, he felt he could use that to intimidate Nigerians. I’m not one of those kinds of persons that will succumb to blackmail or intimidation.

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“You can imagine where you cannot even prove that you have the documents. You don’t have the title documents and you don’t have the approval for building. How can we continue to allow lawlessness to prevail in this country? What about those who don’t have the military? What about those who don’t have security?”, he asked.

The Minister confirmed that he has already engaged the Chief of Defence Staff and the Chief of Naval Staff, both of whom have assured him that they would intervene to resolve the matter.