A coalition of military veterans on Monday unleashed a fierce rebuke against Federal Capital Territory Minister Nyesom Wike for his explosive confrontation with a naval officer at a disputed Abuja land site, demanding an immediate apology and threatening to besiege his residence if the serviceman faces reprisals.
The uproar erupted after a widely circulated video showed Wike, during a crackdown on alleged illegal construction in the Gaduwa district, lashing out at naval personnel deployed to the scene, accusing them of shielding a development tied to a retired Chief of Naval Staff.
In the footage, Wike demands to know the officers’ authority, branding their intervention as interference, while the naval officer retorts that they are following orders to protect the property’s legitimate ownership.
Tensions peaked as Wike reportedly hurled the epithet “fool” at the officer on camera, a moment that has ignited a firestorm across social media and veteran circles, with many decrying it as a blatant assault on military honour.
Abiodun Durowaiye-Herberts, spokesperson for the Coalition of Military Veterans, led the charge in a blistering statement, slamming Wike’s conduct as unbecoming of a public servant. “How can a public office holder call an officer ‘a fool’ on camera? If he was responsible, he should have engaged the Chief of Naval Staff privately rather than attempting to disgrace a retired senior officer,” Durowaiye-Herberts fumed, arguing the outburst erodes trust in uniformed services sworn to national duty, not personal whims.
He underscored the broader implications, adding: “Wike’s action demeans the dignity of the office of a minister. He should apologise for using abusive language. It is not acceptable behaviour.” The coalition vowed zero tolerance for fallout against the officer, warning: “If for any reason the officer is punished, military veterans will occupy the office and residence of the FCT Minister.”
The incident, unfolding amid Wike’s aggressive push to reclaim Abuja’s green belts from encroachments, has polarised opinions: some netizens back the minister’s zeal against land grabbers, while others hail the officer’s poise as a stand for institutional integrity.
Wike, a pugnacious ex-Rivers State governor known for his no-holds-barred style, has not commented publicly on the backlash, but allies defend the exchange as a heat-of-the-moment bid to enforce federal writ.
As the video racks up millions of views, the veterans’ standoff spotlights simmering frictions between civilian overlords and security ranks in Nigeria’s power corridors, where land disputes often mask deeper elite rivalries.
