Wike’s aide blasts Buratai over comment on Minister’s clash with Naval officer

Wike’s aide blasts Buratai over comment on Minister’s clash with Naval Officer

The Senior Special Assistant on Publicity and Communications to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Lere Olayinka, has faulted former Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Tukur Yusuf Buratai (retd.), over his remarks concerning Minister Nyesom Wike’s recent altercation with a naval officer in Abuja.

Speaking on Channels Television on Wednesday, Olayinka expressed surprise that the former Army Chief appeared more concerned about the minister’s verbal exchange than about the misuse of military personnel for non-combat assignments.

“When I read the statement by Tukur Buratai, I was like — a former Chief of Army Staff is not concerned about talking to a uniform man. He’s not concerned about military men who should be at the war front,” Olayinka said.
“Naval officers who should be in the Chad Basin confronting terrorists are being converted into private guards guarding uncompleted buildings. Which one is a security threat to Nigeria?”

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Olayinka defended Wike’s actions, insisting that the FCT Minister acted within his authority to question the presence of armed personnel on disputed land. He added that the naval officer involved acted improperly, noting that “not all orders are lawful.”

His comments came in response to Buratai’s statement on Tuesday, in which the retired general warned that the confrontation between Wike and the officer posed a “clear and present danger to national security.”

Buratai, in a post on his verified Facebook page, accused Wike of undermining the authority of the Commander-in-Chief and eroding military discipline, describing the incident as “a public humiliation of a soldier” and “an attack on the foundation of national order.”

He also advised the minister to apologize publicly to President Bola Tinubu and the naval officer involved.

The altercation, which occurred on Tuesday in Abuja, has since sparked intense debate over civil-military relations and the conduct of public officials in interactions with uniformed personnel.

Wike’s aide blasts Buratai over comment on Minister’s clash with Naval Officer