Nyesom Wike, Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, has spoken about his confrontation with a naval officer, Lieutenant A.M. Yerima, over a disputed plot of land allegedly belonging to a former Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Awwal Zubairu Gambo (retd).
Wike briefed journalists ahead of Thursday’s FCT Executive Council meeting, condemning the retired naval chief’s impunity in deploying serving officers to guard the disputed property.
Responding to critics who faulted his visit to the site, the minister said he could not sit idly as a public officer while government officials were being attacked.
Chronicle NG reported that Wike was involved in a heated exchange on Tuesday with a naval officer, Yerima, over a plot located at No. 1946, Gaduwa District, Abuja, said to belong to a former naval chief.
The minister accused the retired officer of illegally developing the land and confronted the naval officer for allegedly assaulting Federal Capital Development Authority officials who had gone to prevent the construction.
Addressing the issue on Thursday, the former Rivers State governor criticized the deployment of military soldiers to disrupt law enforcement actions by FCT officials.
“Many influential Nigerians have had similar land issues. Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, a former head of state and president, will simply call me. He’ll say, ‘Minister, I have a problem on this land; can you help? ’and I’ll solve it.
“That is a former head of state—a former president—who has the courtesy to call the minister. General T.Y. Danjuma will do the same. They never sent soldiers to attack anybody. They just call,” Wike said.
Wike also faulted the naval officer for allegedly referring to police officers on the scene as “bloody police.”
“Nobody talks like that. A security man saying, ‘Bloody police! Who are these bloody police that will talk to you? “You say you’re a commissioned officer, to God be the glory, but it is these same government officials you’re beating—the ones who made you what you are,” he stated.
Wike, on the other hand, insisted that his confrontation was with a private man rather than the Nigerian military and that he held the institution in high respect.
“I have respect for the military, and I’ll continue to respect them. I know what the institution stands for. I’m not a fool; I went to school. So anyone trying to suggest I have problems with them is wrong. I have no problem with the military, and I never will. Why would I have issues with the government? But this is a private matter,” he said.
