Wike defends visit to disputed Abuja land, accuses ex-Naval Chief of ‘impunity’

Wike defends visit to disputed Abuja land, accuses ex-Naval Chief of ‘impunity’

Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister Nyesom Wike has defended his visit to a disputed plot in Gaduwa District, Abuja—land linked to former Chief of Naval Staff, Vice-Admiral Awwal Gambo—after a confrontation between ministry officials and a naval officer escalated into a public row.

Speaking before the FCT Executive Council meeting yesterday, Wike said he intervened only after senior officials of the FCTA were allegedly attacked while attempting to stop work on the 2.5-acre site.

“How can I sit as minister when government officials at the level of directors are being beaten up?” he asked.

A viral video recorded shortly after the incident showed bulldozers being moved away from the contested property, which the minister said had been cordoned off pending resolution.

Wike accused Vice-Admiral Gambo of “impunity” and faulted Lieutenant A.M. Yerima, who was at the site during the altercation, for allegedly referring to accompanying police officers as “bloody police.”

“Nobody talks like that,” Wike said. “You’re a commissioned officer, but these same government officials you’re assaulting are the ones who made you what you are.”

READ ALSO:

• Ned Nwoko’s household in turmoil as wives clash publicly on Instagram
• Stranded Chinese space station crew to return Friday after debris strike
• Three Nigerians arrested in Kenya over alleged cyberfraud

He stressed that security personnel must obey lawful orders and cannot hide behind superior directives to justify misconduct. “If your superior tells you to shoot someone, will you not be charged with murder?” he asked.

The minister noted that land disputes involving the military have previously been resolved through institutional channels, not confrontation, adding that he maintains “the highest respect” for the Armed Forces.

“Whenever there is a matter concerning the military, I know who to talk to—the Chief of Defence Staff, the Service Chiefs or even the President. This case involved a private individual, so who was I supposed to run to?” he said.

Wike expressed surprise that Vice-Admiral Gambo did not contact him directly, recalling that other senior figures—including former President Olusegun Obasanjo and General T.Y. Danjuma—had quietly reached out when facing similar issues.

“They never sent soldiers to attack anybody,” he said. “They simply called.”

He dismissed media reports portraying him as being at odds with the military, saying some narratives were designed to cast him in a negative light. “Report us accurately. Don’t twist facts or take statements out of context,” he cautioned.

The minister reaffirmed his commitment to enforcing Abuja’s land-use regulations and warned that no individual—regardless of status—would be allowed to violate the FCT master plan.

“Government cannot function in a lawless society,” he said. “If we allow one person to violate the rules because of who he is, others will follow. That is how impunity begins.”

Wike vowed to sustain President Bola Tinubu’s directive to restore order and sanity to the capital.

“As long as I remain FCT Minister, the law will take its course. Abuja must reflect the image of Nigeria—disciplined, planned and lawful,” he said.

Wike defends visit to disputed Abuja land, accuses ex-Naval Chief of ‘impunity’