The Federal Government has ordered an investigation into the clash between the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, and a naval officer, A. Yerima, over a disputed parcel of land in Abuja.
The confrontation, which occurred on Tuesday, has sparked widespread reactions from retired military generals, lawyers, and civil society groups, many of whom described the incident as a breach of the military’s chain of command and an affront to institutional decorum.
Minister of Defence, Mohammed Badaru, while addressing journalists at the National Defence College in Abuja on Wednesday, confirmed that the ministry had begun probing the matter. He commended the naval officer for his composure and assured that the Armed Forces would continue to protect personnel performing lawful duties.
“At the ministry, and indeed in the Armed Forces, we will always protect our officers on lawful duty,” Badaru stated. “We are looking into this issue and assure that any officer performing his duties lawfully will be highly protected. We will not allow anything to happen to him so long as he is doing his job, and he is doing it very well.”
The clash reportedly stemmed from a land dispute involving former Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Zubairu Gambo (retd.), who was said to have instructed armed naval officers to guard the contested property in the Mabushi area of Abuja. Wike, however, accused the retired officer of land grabbing.
A video that went viral showed the visibly angry minister confronting Yerima, leading to public criticism and calls for disciplinary action.
Former Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai (retd.), condemned Wike’s conduct, describing it as a “palpable threat to national security and institutional integrity.” He called on the FCT minister to apologise to President Bola Tinubu, the Armed Forces, and the officer involved.
Other retired generals, including Brig. Gen. Peter Aro and Brig. Gen. Bashir Adewinbi, also faulted Wike’s actions, saying the incident undermined civil–military relations and the principle of discipline within the security structure.
While Wike’s aide, Lere Olayinka, defended his principal, arguing that the disputed land had been illegally converted for private use, legal experts expressed divided opinions.
Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Prof. Sebastine Hon, faulted the naval officer’s action, insisting that obstructing the minister amounted to a breach of the law. However, another SAN, Simon Lough, maintained that although Wike acted within his authority as the President’s representative in the FCT, his physical confrontation was unnecessary and diminished his office.
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Human rights lawyer, Pelumi Olajengbesi, also cautioned that the minister lacked the power to issue direct orders to military personnel, as such authority rests solely with the President through the military chain of command.
He said, “No minister can lawfully countermand a soldier’s orders or issue binding instructions to an officer on duty. Such matters should be handled through proper security channels, not through confrontation.”
As the Defence Ministry continues its probe, stakeholders have urged the government to address the incident decisively to preserve mutual respect between civil authorities and the military establishment.