A former Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Tukur Yusuf Buratai (retd.), has cautioned that the confrontation between the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, and a Nigerian Navy officer in Abuja signifies “a clear and present danger to national security” and called for prompt remedial action.
Buratai, in a statement on his verified Facebook page on Tuesday, said Wike’s behaviour during the incident “transcends mere misconduct” and “undermines the authority of the Commander-in-Chief and the integrity of the Armed Forces.”
The clash, which allegedly occurred at Plot 1946, Gaduwa District, Abuja, arose from a disagreement over ownership and development rights to a piece of land reportedly linked to a former Chief of Naval Staff.
The FCT minister, accompanied by senior officials of the Federal Capital Development Authority, had gone to the location to stop what he described as an “illegal construction” when he confronted a naval officer reportedly supervising the property.
In a viral video of the encounter, Wike was seen expressing outrage at the officer’s presence, insisting that no individual, regardless of their military rank, was above the law. “You are in uniform, and you’re telling me that the Navy owns this land? Who gave you the right to build without approval? Even if you are the Chief of Naval Staff, the law must be respected,” Wike was heard saying in the video clip.
The officer, who has not been officially named by the Nigerian Navy, said the property belonged to a former service chief and that the military had authorisation to guard it.
However, Buratai, in his response, said the minister’s tone and public rebuke of a uniformed officer amounted to “a reckless act that strikes at the core of Nigeria’s command and control structure.”
He said, “A minister’s verbal assault on a military officer in uniform is an act of profound indiscipline that strikes at the very foundation of our national security apparatus. It is not political theatre—it is a reckless endangerment of national order.”
He added, “This action by Wike is clearly an indication of undermining the Federal Government’s authority. It disrespects the Commander-in-Chief and wounds the morale of every officer who serves under the Nigerian flag.”
Buratai, who was Nigeria’s Chief of Army Staff from 2015 to 2021, urged President Bola Tinubu to treat the matter as a serious national security issue.
“Barrister Nyesom Wike must tender an immediate and unequivocal public apology to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu as Commander-in-Chief, to the Armed Forces of Nigeria, and to the specific officer whose honour was violated,” he declared.
“The integrity of our Armed Forces demands nothing less. Our nation’s security must come first. It is time for decisive action, not politics of military bashing,” he added.
