Wike Defends Face-Off With Naval Officer: “I Can’t Sit in My Office While Officials Are Assaulted”

The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has spoken out about his recent confrontation with a naval officer over a disputed plot of land allegedly linked to a former Chief of Naval Staff.

Addressing journalists on Thursday ahead of the FCT Executive Council meeting, Wike condemned what he called the “audacity” of the retired naval chief in deploying serving naval personnel to secure the contested property.

Responding to public criticism over his presence at the site, the minister insisted that he could not ignore reports that senior government officials were being harassed. As a public officer, he said, he had a duty to intervene.

“How can I sit as a minister when government officials—directors—are being attacked and beaten up? Am I supposed to stay in my office doing nothing?” he asked.

According to Channels Television, tensions flared on Tuesday when Wike, accompanied by his team, engaged with military personnel over activities on the land located in Gaduwa district.

Wike accused the retired naval officer of carrying out unauthorized construction on the plot and alleged that staff of the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA) were assaulted while attempting to stop the work.

Speaking further on Thursday, the former Rivers State governor criticized the use of active-duty soldiers to obstruct lawful enforcement operations by FCT officials, calling it an unacceptable misuse of influence.

He contrasted the incident with how other prominent Nigerians handle similar disputes. “Chief Olusegun Obasanjo—a former head of state and president—will simply call me and say, ‘Minister, I have a problem on this land, can you help?’ General T.Y. Danjuma will call. They never send soldiers to attack anybody,” Wike said.

The minister stressed that the matter should not be seen as a clash between the FCT administration and the military. If that were the case, he said, he would have formally written to military authorities for clarification.

Reaffirming the need for due process, Wike urged all parties to respect official land allocations. He also emphasized his respect for all government institutions, including the military, adding that his actions were intended solely to restore order.