S.O.S ALIEME

The imbroglio or the face-off that happened recently between the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja and that of the Military officer Lieutenant A.M. Yerima could be likened to a constituted authority fighting another constituted authority. It should be noted that every Nigerian is a human being and when two powers engaged in arguments, restraint must be employed.  The Nigerian is constituted authority which is headed by the Nigerian President and that makes him to be the Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces.  The same thing goes to the Minister who was also appointed by the President on the approval of the National Assembly. I think the issue between Wike and Yerima should have been curtailed without allowing it to escalate into national embarrassment and disgrace.  The two people in question are acting on orders and so courtesy demands that none is superior over the other.

Precisely, on Monday, November 11, 2025, the stillness of Gaduwa, one of Abuja’s more reserved neighbourhoods, shattered into a tableau of tension, authority, and unexpected restraint. Wike’s mission, he insisted, was simple: to investigate an ongoing construction on a parcel of land originally earmarked for park and recreation purposes, allocated to Santos Estate Limited but allegedly converted and sold for residential use without proper approvals. Wike said he was also there to support Development Control officials who had earlier been obstructed by military personnel stationed there and to prevent lawlessness and enforce land-use regulations.

At the head of the Naval personnel manning the land stood Lieutenant A.M. Yerima, calm, still, almost immovable. His uniform caught the sun, but it was his poise that turned him into the unexpected protagonist of the moment. As soldiers around him exchanged sharp words with the Minister’s security aides, the young officer’s voice cut through the tension like a parade whistle:”Ajuwaya!” Restraint washed over both sides, averting what could have spiralled into a national embarrassment. Yet the standoff hardened. Wike pressed for entry, citing FCTA’s authority over the land, but Yerima insisted the property had full documentation and that he was acting strictly under orders. When the Minister snapped at him, calling him a fool and ordering him to shut up, Yerima’s calm reply spread across the country within minutes of the video surfacing: “I am an officer, I have my integrity.  I am not a fool, you can’t shut me up. His defiance was a measure, yet it became a national symbol of composure under pressure.

The confrontation set off a national debate, not just about land, but about power, uniform, respect, and the boundaries between civilian authority and military duty. A military officer speaking anonymously said the drama was avoidable if the Minister felt they were obstructed, he should have called the necessary office.  This is not the time for power play. Many officers have had their land approvals revoked for no reason.

Human rights activist praised Lt Yerima for resisting intimidation, noting the FCTA’s record of revocations warranted caution. Former Chief of Army Staff, Lt Gen Tukur Yusuf Buratai (rtd) described the minister’s conduct as a clear and present danger to national security, warning that publicly rebuking a uniformed officer weakens discipline.

Also, former Chief of Defence Staff Gen Lucky Irabor said whether it is a young officer or a senior one, when you make disparaging remarks against them, you insult the state itself. The uniform is not about who is wearing it; it represents the authority of the state.

However, not all opinions were favourable to Yerima.  APC Chieftain, Joe Igbokwe dismissed Yerima entirely: saying his conduct was horrible and represents evil. He accused unknown elites of opposing Wike’s reform agenda and suggested the officer’s deployment symbolized entrenched corruption. Barrister Deji Adeyanju, while acknowledging Yerima’s courage noted that historic land revocations affecting ordinary citizens mean the Minister’s concern was not entirely misplaced.

In his own reaction the FCT Minister Nyesom Wike while addressing the media said emphatically that ‘I do not have any problem with the military and will never have.  I have great respect for the institution. He maintained his comments were misunderstood: No officer should carry out an illegal order.  If an instruction is unlawful, you have the right to say No!  Wike insisted he was enforcing the law, not fighting the military.

Human rights lawyer, Femi Falana, SAN, has tasked President Bola Tinubu to compel the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, to apologise for using uncomplimentary comments against a serving Naval Officer, A. M. Yerima, over a disputed piece of land in Abuja. While saying that the Minister was lucky not to have been shot during his confrontation with the soldier, the Senior Lawyer, however, stressed that both parties erred in law. Speaking on the face-off between the FCT Minister and his altercation with a military officer, he faulted both parties for taking the law into their hands. He stated that although Wike was carrying out his statutory responsibilities as enshrined in Section 11 of the Land Use Act, his failure to exercise emotional intelligence and his use of derogatory language toward the military officer gave him away. 

He cited a case in Ghana where a minister had to apologise for making uncomplimentary remarks about a taxi driver, emphasising the importance of dignity and respect. “On no ground should a Minister force himself and abuse the military officer. No Minister has the power to call any Nigerian a fool. Mr President should compel the Minister to apologise. He was lucky he was not shot. “The military officer contravened the law by preventing the Minister from doing his legal duty. The officer engaged in illegal duty to guide the land of a private person. So when he said he was acting on superior orders, those orders are illegal.

But the Minister went off track. Even the President can’t call any Nigerian a fool,” Falana said. He said Nigerians are impressed that even in the heat of provocation, the officer did not lose his patience. In whatever we do, caution must always be our watchword.  Let those in position of authority show Nigerians the way to exercise power and not through the use of illegal power and foul language. I rest my case if I had established any.

God Bless Nigeria!!!