Defence Minister, Bello Matawalle, has faulted the conduct of the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, during a confrontation with a naval officer at a disputed site in Abuja, describing the incident as “unfortunate” and unnecessary.
Matawalle, in an interview with DCL Hausa, said Wike ignored the advice of top military chiefs, including the Chief of Defence Staff and the Chief of Naval Staff, who had urged him to allow the military to investigate the matter before taking any action.
SaharaReporters earlier reported that Wike clashed with a naval officer, Lieutenant Commander Yerima, at a property site in the Gaduwa District of Abuja, which was allegedly occupied by the military.
In a viral video, the FCT Minister was seen accusing the officer of obstructing his directives on the disputed land.
Commenting on the matter, Matawalle said Wike should have exercised restraint and handled the issue through appropriate military channels.
“What happened between Minister Wike and the officer is unfortunate. When he got there, the officer explained that he was simply obeying orders given to him. Wike should not have exchanged words with the officer; he ought to have addressed his concerns through the officer’s superiors,” the minister said.
The Defence Minister noted that the naval officer acted within the scope of his duty, displaying discipline and respect throughout the exchange.
“He (Wike) is our colleague, and Wike could have reached out to us to resolve whatever issue. The officer’s action was lawful—he was trained to be disciplined, loyal, and obedient to orders. Therefore, the young officer only carried out his duty worthy of commendation,” he stated.
Matawalle further clarified that the officer did not commit any breach of military regulations.
“He did not commit any offence under military regulations; he merely obeyed a lawful order and followed due process. If you observe carefully, he spoke respectfully and conducted himself properly,” Matawalle added.
He cautioned that public officials must treat members of the Armed Forces with respect, stressing that insulting a uniformed officer equates to undermining the authority of the Commander-in-Chief.
“There is, therefore, no offence under military law for which he should be charged. Wike should not have engaged him in an altercation, especially out of respect for the uniform he was wearing. Anyone who disrespects a soldier indirectly disrespects the President, who is the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces. There is, therefore, no basis for any punishment against the officer,” he said.
Matawalle clarified that his remarks were not a defence of indiscipline but an emphasis on due process and hierarchy within the military.
“This is not about supporting the military to act disrespectfully toward civilians. The Minister should understand that every officer has superiors. I gathered that he called the Chief of Defence Staff, who advised him to wait for an investigation,” he explained.
The minister revealed that despite receiving advice to wait, Wike went ahead to the disputed site.
“However, he did not wait and instead went straight to the site. As a leader, he ought to have exercised patience and waited for the outcome of the investigation,” Matawalle said.
He added that even after the Chief of Naval Staff assured Wike that an inquiry would be conducted, the FCT Minister still proceeded to confront the officers.
“Wike also contacted the Chief of Naval Staff, who assured him that an investigation would be conducted. Yet again, he did not wait. It was supposed to be a one-day inquiry, but he chose to go there and confront them,” the minister noted.
According to Matawalle, the Chief of Naval Staff has since visited the disputed location to commence a formal investigation into the ownership of the land.
“Now that the Chief of Naval Staff has visited the area, since it involves a land dispute, the matter will be investigated to know who owns the lawful documents,” he said.
He added that any revocation of the land should be handled through proper administrative channels rather than public confrontation.
“If the land has been revoked, there are established procedures to be followed diplomatically,” Matawalle said.
The Defence Minister also disclosed that the Ministry of Defence has not received any formal complaint from Wike over the incident but that he personally contacted the FCT Minister after the video circulated online.
“We have not received any formal complaint from Wike, but I called him after the video went viral and advised that he should have spoken with me before going there, rather than confronting the officers directly,” Matawalle concluded.
