The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, 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).
Briefing journalists ahead of the FCT Executive Council meeting on Thursday, Wike condemned what he described as 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.
“How can I sit as a minister when government officials are being attacked and beaten up, officials at the level of directors? And I’ll just sit in my office doing what?” he asked.
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 had accused the retired officer of carrying out illegal development on the land and confronted the naval officer for allegedly assaulting staff of the Federal Capital Development Authority who had gone to halt the ongoing construction.
Addressing the matter on Thursday, the former Rivers State governor faulted the use of military personnel to obstruct lawful enforcement activities 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.
The minister 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, however, maintained that he had the highest regard for the Nigerian military and understood the importance of the institution, insisting that his confrontation was not with the armed forces but with a private individual.
“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.
