The Nigeria Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle, has described the recent clash between the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, and a naval officer, Lieutenant A. Yerima, as needless and capable of undermining established command protocols within the military.
The altercation, which occurred on Tuesday in the Gaduwa District of Abuja, reportedly stemmed from a dispute over the ownership of a parcel of land allegedly being guarded by naval personnel acting on the directive of former Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Zubairu Gambo (retired).
In a video that surfaced online, Wike was seen confronting the officer and accusing the retired naval chief of illegally taking over the land. The footage, which quickly went viral, drew mixed reactions from Nigerians who questioned both the minister’s approach and the officer’s involvement.
Reacting to the incident during an interview with DCL Hausa, Matawalle condemned the confrontation, stressing that it could have been addressed through official procedures. He revealed that the FCT minister had earlier reached out to both the Chief of Defence Staff and the Chief of Naval Staff, who advised him to allow the military to investigate the issue before taking further 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,” Matawalle said.
According to the Defence Minister, Lieutenant Yerima acted professionally and within the rules of engagement, maintaining calmness and discipline throughout the incident.
“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,” Matawalle stated.
He cautioned that public officials should exercise restraint when dealing with uniformed officers, emphasizing that disrespecting any member of the armed forces amounts to undermining the authority of the President, who serves as the Commander-in-Chief.
“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 added.
Okay News reports that Matawalle further clarified that his comment should not be mistaken as supporting military excesses but as a reminder of the need to respect established hierarchies and processes. He disclosed that Wike ignored the advice of the military chiefs and went to the site in person instead of waiting for the outcome of the planned inquiry.
“He called the Chief of Defence Staff and was advised to wait for the investigation, but he did not. As a leader, he ought to have exercised patience and waited for the outcome,” Matawalle said.
The Defence Minister confirmed that the Chief of Naval Staff had since visited the disputed site to begin a formal investigation into the land matter and ensure due process is followed.
“Now that the Chief of Naval Staff has visited the area, the matter will be investigated to determine who owns the rightful documents,” he concluded.
Matawalle maintained that any land revocation or transfer should be done through proper administrative procedures rather than direct confrontation.
