The Minister of Defence, Mohammed Badaru, has disclosed that his ministry has launched an investigation into the recent confrontation between the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, and a naval officer, Lt. A. Yerima, over a disputed parcel of land in Abuja.
Announcing this on Wednesday at a press conference to flag off activities for the 2026 Armed Forces Remembrance Day, held at the National Defence College, Abuja, the minister commended Lt. Yerima for maintaining calm during the tense exchange with the FCT minister.
According to Badaru, the Defence Ministry remains committed to protecting officers who act within the scope of their lawful assignments.
“At the ministry, and indeed the Armed Forces, we will always protect our officers on lawful duty,” he said. “We are already looking into this issue and assure Nigerians that any officer performing his duties responsibly will receive full institutional protection. We will not allow harm to come to any of them as long as they remain within the law.”
The incident, which has sparked widespread criticism from retired military officers and the public, reportedly stemmed from a dispute over the ownership of land guarded by armed naval personnel under the directive of a former Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Zubairu Gambo (retd.).
A viral video from the encounter showed Wike angrily confronting the officer during an inspection visit, accusing the retired naval chief of illegally taking over the property, a claim the military hierarchy has yet to publicly confirm.
