The confrontation between the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, and a naval officer identified as A. Yerima has stirred outrage across Nigeria’s political and military circles. The incident, which reportedly stemmed from a dispute over land ownership in Abuja, has ignited a heated national conversation about power, discipline, and the fragile relationship between civilian authority and the armed forces. Former military generals, senior lawyers, and political observers have voiced deep concern that such an altercation could erode institutional respect and weaken the disciplined foundation upon which Nigeria’s democracy stands.
Former military generals who spoke to YEPS expressed anger and disappointment, arguing that the altercation undermined the nation’s military hierarchy and the respect accorded to uniforms. They insisted that when a civilian minister confronts a uniformed officer in public, it sends the wrong message not only to the military but to the entire country. They said the event did not merely involve personal pride but represented a serious threat to the structure of command that binds Nigeria’s armed institutions together.
Amid the national uproar, the Minister of Defence, Mohammed Badaru, announced that the ministry had begun investigating the clash. He assured Nigerians that the government would protect officers who carry out lawful duties without fear of political interference. Speaking during a press briefing at the National Defence College, Abuja, where preparations for the 2026 Armed Forces Remembrance Day had begun, the minister commended Officer Yerima for maintaining composure despite the tension. He said the government would never allow any political appointee or public official to endanger the dignity of officers doing their jobs properly.
The standoff reportedly began when Wike arrived at a disputed plot of land in Abuja’s Mabushi area and found it guarded by naval personnel allegedly assigned by retired Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Zubairu Gambo. The minister accused Gambo of grabbing public land and directing uniformed officers to guard private property illegally. Witnesses said Wike, visibly angry, ordered the officers to vacate the area, but Yerima refused, insisting he acted on his superior’s instructions. A video clip obtained by YEPS captured the tense exchange, showing Wike raising his voice while Yerima stood at attention, refusing to disobey his orders.
Former Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai, condemned Wike’s actions, saying they disrespected the Armed Forces and by extension the President, who serves as Commander-in-Chief. He said Wike should publicly apologize to the President, the military institution, and the officer he confronted. Buratai explained that when a minister verbally attacks an officer on lawful duty, it goes beyond misconduct—it threatens national discipline and sends a message of chaos down the chain of command. He wrote that no democratic system can survive if political leaders humiliate those responsible for national security.
Retired Brigadier General Peter Aro said the episode revealed a deeper issue about how authority should function in a democracy. He said Yerima acted under lawful instructions from a superior officer and had no discretion to disobey. According to him, the officer’s role was to follow orders, not to navigate political disputes. He explained that Wike, while entitled to investigate or question any land transaction, should have followed due process—through the Minister of Defence, the Chief of Defence Staff, or the courts—rather than stage a confrontation that embarrassed the government before the public. Aro added that if such acts go unchallenged, they may encourage a culture of indiscipline on both sides, where soldiers distrust civilian leaders and politicians disregard institutional order.
Another retired officer, Brigadier General Bashir Adewinbi, described Wike’s outburst as intolerable. He said any confrontation with an officer in uniform amounts to challenging the authority of the Commander-in-Chief. According to him, the military is not just another government agency; it symbolizes the state itself. Therefore, treating an officer disrespectfully in public erodes national confidence in the system that keeps Nigeria safe.
However, Wike’s aide, Lere Olayinka, defended the minister, claiming that the land in question had been the subject of fraud and that the former naval chief fell victim to a land scam. Speaking on national television, Olayinka explained that the land had been originally designated for park and recreation in 2007 and that attempts to convert it to commercial use in 2022 were rejected by the FCT Administration. Despite the rejection, the company that held the allocation allegedly partitioned and sold the land to private individuals, including Gambo. Olayinka said Gambo might have used his influence to assert ownership through military backing, which he called an abuse of privilege.
He said the officer’s presence there was questionable and called the entire arrangement a reflection of how some retired officers misuse military connections to manipulate civil land administration.
Yet, several constitutional experts disagreed with Wike’s method. Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Prof. Sebastine Hon, said Yerima’s decision to stop the minister from entering the land violated the law, but he maintained that the proper channel for redress lay in the courts, not in shouting matches. He explained that even within the military, obedience to orders has limits. No service regulation, he said, allows a serving officer to guard a private property for a retired superior, especially when the order conflicts with public law. He cited Supreme Court rulings affirming that soldiers are not bound to obey illegal commands.
Hon also reminded the public that the Constitution vests all FCT lands in the President, who delegates administrative powers to the minister. Therefore, Wike legally acts in the President’s capacity when handling land matters in Abuja. He argued that Yerima’s refusal to allow the minister access to the site represented a direct challenge to presidential authority. However, Hon also cautioned the public against celebrating the incident as an act of bravery. He said glorifying indiscipline could embolden other officers to disrespect civil institutions, eventually undermining democratic control of the military.
Another Senior Advocate, Simon Lough, agreed that the minister acted within his constitutional mandate but questioned his approach. He said as the President’s representative, Wike had the authority to investigate land disputes but should have done so through formal correspondence or administrative inquiry rather than a personal visit. Lough said a minister’s physical confrontation with an officer cheapens the office and sets a bad example for other public servants. He added that if the retired naval chief obtained the land irregularly, Wike should have formally written to the Chief of Defence Staff or reported the matter through proper security channels.
Lough also said Yerima’s duty to guard the property appeared questionable. Soldiers swear an oath to defend the nation’s integrity, not private estates, he noted. He described the officer’s assignment as illegal, regardless of who gave the order. Still, he acknowledged that Yerima handled the situation calmly while the minister overreacted. In his view, both sides should face internal disciplinary action to prevent similar occurrences.
An unnamed senior lawyer condemned Wike’s tone, saying calling a military officer names in public was unbecoming of a minister. He said even if the officer erred, the law provided clear procedures for repossessing land or challenging illegal use. “No minister has the right to take the law into his hands,” he said, warning that such displays of arrogance could provoke more conflicts between civilians and military personnel.
Human rights lawyer Pelumi Olajengbesi added that under the Constitution, the command and control of the Armed Forces lie solely with the President, exercised through the military hierarchy, not through civilian ministers. He explained that while Wike represents the President in civil administration, his authority does not extend to giving orders to serving soldiers. A soldier, he said, answers only to his superiors within the military structure, not to any politician. He warned that ministers who try to intimidate officers risk facing legal consequences because their offices do not grant immunity from criminal liability.
Olajengbesi said the clash reflected the growing arrogance among some public officials who mistake delegated authority for absolute power. He urged the federal government to handle the matter decisively, not only to protect military discipline but to reaffirm the supremacy of law. He argued that unchecked behavior from politicians could lead to more friction between government agencies and uniformed services.
The incident, now under investigation by the Ministry of Defence, has exposed deep tensions within Nigeria’s governance structure. It has sparked debates about how far civilian authority can extend over military personnel and whether ministers fully understand the boundaries of their powers. For many Nigerians, the episode symbolizes the broader crisis of leadership and respect that plagues public service. It also raises questions about the rule of law in a democracy where political influence often collides with institutional discipline. As the controversy continues, both the Defence Headquarters and the Presidency face pressure to clarify the boundaries of civilian oversight.
The military must reinforce discipline without appearing rebellious, and civilian officials must learn that leadership demands restraint, not intimidation. The nation watches closely, aware that how this dispute is resolved will shape the balance between civil authority and military obedience for years to come.
In the end, the confrontation between Wike and Officer Yerima goes beyond a land dispute—it reflects a test of maturity in governance. It challenges Nigeria to decide whether power means control or responsibility. For a country still healing from decades of military rule, the lesson remains clear: respect and discipline sustain democracy far more than confrontation and pride.