Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister Nyesom Wike launched a blistering defence of his actions on Thursday, directly challenging former Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Tukur Yusuf Buratai (rtd.), who had criticized Wike’s recent altercation with Naval officers in Abuja.
Wike, who addressed reporters at his official residence in Life Camp, dismissed Buratai’s assertion that the Minister’s conduct was a “threat to national security” and a “slight on the authority of President Bola Tinubu.”
Africa Update reports that the controversy stems from an incident last Tuesday in the Gaduwa District over a disputed parcel of land allegedly belonging to former Naval Chief of Staff Vice Admiral Awwal Gambo, which the FCT Administration insists was illegally acquired.
The situation escalated when Naval officers, led by Lt. A.M. Yerima, allegedly resisted the FCT’s enforcement team, with Wike accusing the officers of illegally arresting FCT officials.
The Minister reserved his sharpest words for Buratai, who had reportedly asked Wike to apologize to Lt. Yerima for the confrontation. Wike expressed disappointment over what he called the “misinterpretation” of the incident and personally attacked the former Army Chief’s character and political history.
“I read what one former Chief of Army Staff wrote. He cannot tell me of decency and he can’t teach me,” Wike stated.
The Minister then leveled severe allegations against Buratai, including claims that the retired General (allegedly) directed his GOC to rig the 2019 election and instructed the GOC to kill him.
“He told his GOC to kill me and I could not be killed. He became an agent in APC primaries to one of APC’s presidential aspirants. Look at the rank of a polling agent. He is the one commenting that the minister did this and that. I have never seen people like this.”
Wike also directly blamed Lt. Yerima for his role in the shoving match, arguing that the officer showed a lack of “decorum” by challenging a top government official.
The Minister insisted he acted within the confines of his authority, stating that his position represents the highest executive office. “I am a Minister and I’m representing Mr. President. That alone should have given you that decorum,” he cautioned.
Wike accused the naval officer of accepting an illegal order in “stark contravention of the rule of law.”
“When people say, Order, do you need to carry out an illegal order? When you are an officer, you are doing something illegal,” he said.
The Minister concluded his address with a defiant political declaration, vowing to continue challenging his political adversaries and confirming his unwavering loyalty to the Commander-in-Chief.
“I have no regrets for my political opponents. I will continue to make them have sleepless nights. Whether you are in PDP, whether you are in APC, whether you are in ADC, it is not my business,” Wike asserted.
He stressed that his actions were rooted in law: “I am standing by the side of the law. If you like, bring every ethnicity coloration, it is your business… I have no regrets supporting President Tinubu and I have never hidden my intention and I will continue to do what is right.”
