By Abiola Olawale
The recent viral confrontation between the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, and a naval officer, Lieutenant Ahmad Yerima, has drawn sharp criticism from the Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle, who described the public altercation as “unnecessary.”
The incident, which occurred during Wike’s visit to a disputed plot of land in Abuja’s Gaduwa District, has sparked a nationwide debate
Reacting to the development, Matawalle said the incident should have been resolved through official channels rather than a public exchange.
He revealed that Wike had earlier contacted both the Chief of Defence Staff and the Chief of Naval Staff, who advised him to allow the military to investigate the matter before taking any action.
“What happened between Minister Wike and the officer is unfortunate. When he got there, the officer explained that he was simply obeying orders given to him. Wike should not have exchanged words with the officer; he ought to have addressed his concerns through the officer’s superiors,” the minister said.
Matawalle explained that Yerima acted strictly on instructions and maintained a professional and disciplined attitude throughout the encounter.
“He (Wike) is our colleague, and Wike could have reached out to us to resolve whatever issue. The officer’s action was lawful because he was trained to be disciplined, loyal, and obedient to orders. Therefore, the young officer only carried out his duty worthy of commendation,” he stated.
According to him, the officer did not violate any military rule and conducted himself properly.
“He did not commit any offence under military regulations; he merely obeyed a lawful order and followed due process. If you observe, he spoke respectfully and conducted himself properly.
“There is, therefore, no offence under military law for which he should be charged. Wike should not have engaged him in an altercation, especially out of respect for the uniform he was wearing. Anyone who disrespects a soldier indirectly disrespects the President, who is the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces. There is, therefore, no basis for any punishment against the officer,” he said.
