Former senior military officers have condemned the altercation between the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, and a naval officer, Lt. A. Yerima, describing the incident as a grave affront to military discipline and national institutions.
Reacting separately on Wednesday, the retired generals said the confrontation, which reportedly stemmed from a dispute over a plot of land in Abuja, was “unbecoming of a minister” and capable of undermining the country’s chain of command.
Former Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai (retd.), faulted Wike’s conduct, urging him to issue a public apology to President Bola Tinubu, the Armed Forces, and the officer involved.
According to Buratai, the minister’s action “amounted to gross indiscipline and disrespect to the military.” In a statement shared via his Facebook page on Tuesday night, he said the November 11 episode “transcends mere misconduct” and “poses a direct threat to national security and institutional cohesion.”
He wrote, “A minister’s public assault on a uniformed officer strikes at the very core of our command and control system. It diminishes the authority of the Commander-in-Chief and demoralises those who risk their lives under the Nigerian flag.”
Also weighing in, Brigadier General Peter Aro (retd.) said the development exposed a disregard for due process in a democratic setting. He noted that the naval officer involved was reportedly carrying out “lawful orders” issued by his superior, former Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Zubairu Gambo (retd.).
Aro stated, “The issue at stake is not personal but institutional. While the minister is entitled to question land ownership, such matters should be handled through legal or administrative channels, not public confrontation.”
He warned that ignoring the incident would “send a dangerous message” to members of the Armed Forces who depend on discipline and respect for hierarchy.
Similarly, Brigadier General Bashir Adewinbi (retd.) described the minister’s action as “unacceptable and unbecoming of a public official.”
Adewinbi said, “When a minister publicly confronts a commissioned officer, it symbolically challenges the authority of the President, who is the Commander-in-Chief. Such behaviour should never be normalised in a constitutional democracy.”
The altercation reportedly arose during Wike’s inspection of a disputed parcel of land guarded by naval personnel on the directive of Admiral Gambo. The minister had accused the retired naval chief of illegally taking over the property.
A viral video from the scene captured the visibly agitated minister engaging in a heated exchange with the officer, who stood his ground, insisting he was acting under superior instruction.
