In a bizarre justification of the conduct of a Navy Lieutenant, A.M. Yerima, answering back publicly to a senior appointee of the Commander-in-Chief, former Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Tukur Yusuf Buratai (retd.), has condemned the recent confrontation between the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, and a naval officer in Abuja, describing it as a “serious threat to national security.”
Yerima was believed to be doing the bidding of immediate past Chief of Naval Staff, Awwal Zubairu Gambo, who is claiming ownership of a controversial plot in Abuja.
In a statement shared on his verified Facebook page on Tuesday, Buratai criticised Wike’s behavior during the encounter, calling it “a reckless act that goes beyond mere misconduct” and one that “undermines the authority of the Commander-in-Chief and the integrity of the Armed Forces.”
The altercation reportedly took place at Plot 1946, Gaduwa District, Abuja, over a disputed parcel of land allegedly linked to a former Chief of Naval Staff. Wike, who visited the site with senior officials of the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA), accused those on-site of engaging in “illegal construction.”
A viral video of the incident shows the minister confronting a naval officer said to be overseeing the property’s development.
“You’re in uniform, and you’re telling me the Navy owns this land? Who gave you approval to build? Even if you’re the Chief of Naval Staff, the law must be obeyed,” Wike was heard saying.
The officer, whose name has not been disclosed, reportedly explained that the land belonged to a former service chief and that the military personnel were only there to provide security.
Reacting to the incident, Buratai warned that Wike’s actions “strike at the core of Nigeria’s command and control system,” cautioning that such public altercations with uniformed personnel could seriously affect discipline and morale within the Armed Forces.
“A minister’s verbal assault on a military officer in uniform is an act of profound indiscipline that strikes at the foundation of our national security framework,” Buratai said. “This is not a political show—it is a reckless endangerment of national order.”
He further stated that Wike’s conduct “disrespects the Commander-in-Chief and demoralizes officers serving under the Nigerian flag,” describing it as “an unacceptable affront to the Federal Government’s authority.”
Buratai, who served as Chief of Army Staff from 2015 to 2021, urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to address the issue urgently, calling it a matter of national security.
“Barrister Nyesom Wike must issue an immediate, unreserved public apology to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu as Commander-in-Chief, to the Armed Forces of Nigeria, and to the officer whose honour was impugned,” he said.
He concluded by stressing that preserving the discipline and integrity of the military is paramount.
“Our national security must take precedence. This is a time for firm leadership, not politics that undermines the military,” Buratai stated.
