The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, and an unidentified military officer were involved in a heated confrontation on Tuesday over an alleged land-grabbing incident at the Gaduwa District in Abuja.
Our correspondent obtained a video of the altercation, in which Wike accused the officer of illegally taking ownership of a block of land.
The visibly enraged minister questioned why the military was claiming the property solely because it was linked to a former Chief of Naval Staff.
“Because you are an officer? Nobody does that. The man took land because he was the Chief of Naval Staff? ” Wike said.
The officer, clothed in military camouflage, interrupted the minister to insist that the acquisition was legal and that he had operated with integrity.
“I am an officer with integrity. Everything was acquired legally,” he replied.
Wike, infuriated by the interruption, ordered the officer to be quiet.
“I will not shut up,” the officer responded.
The heated exchange escalated as Wike retorted, “You are a very big fool. As at the time I graduated, you were still in primary school.”
However, the officer insisted that he was sent to the site on official orders.
“You will see if you will not leave here. Go and develop there and let me see,” Wike fired back as the confrontation exacerbated.
As of the time of filing this report, neither the military nor the Federal Capital Territory Administration had issued an official statement on the incident.
Disputes over land and illegal allocations have been a persistent problem in Abuja. The FCTA, under Wike, has intensified efforts to curb unauthorized land acquisition, illegal property development, and encroachments on government-designated areas.
Since taking office in August 2023, Wike has ordered multiple demolitions of what he calls illegal structures, aiming to restore the Abuja Master Plan.
