Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has denied gifting a brand-new Toyota SUV to Lieutenant Ahmed Yerima, the navy officer engaged in a recent confrontation with the Federal Capital Territory Minister, Nyesom Wike.
Atiku’s media adviser, Paul Ibe, made a statement on his X Twitter on Thursday, describing the report, which has been extensively circulated on social media, as absolutely false and lacking any factual basis.
Ibe advised the public to dismiss the bogus narrative.
“His Excellency Atiku Abubakar, Vice President of Nigeria (1999–2007), did not gift Lt. Ahmed Yerima—or any other individual—a brand new Toyota SUV, contrary to the false reports currently circulating on social media.
“The story is entirely fabricated and should be completely disregarded by the public,” he said.
The viral story, which surfaced on Facebook on Wednesday, claimed that Atiku rewarded the naval commander after a reported clash with Wike over an alleged land-grabbing incident in Abuja.
On Tuesday, Wike confronted a naval officer identified as Lt. Yerima during an inspection of a disputed plot of land in the FCT’s Gaduwa District.
A video of the event leaked online, showing a heated conversation between the minister and the officer, who claimed he was safeguarding military property.
The incident has sparked widespread outrage, with various public figures, including former Army Chief of Staff Gen. Tukur Buratai (rtd) and other politicians, urging calm and respect for institutional authority.
