Military Veterans Ask Tinubu To Sack Wike Over Clash With Naval Officer

Tension heightened on Friday as retired members of the Armed Forces of Nigeria under the aegis of the Coalition of Concerned Military Veterans called on President Bola Tinubu to sack or redeploy the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, over his recent face-off with a naval officer in Abuja.

The coalition comprises retired generals and other senior military officers drawn from the Army, Air Force, and Navy.

The Whistler online reports that the stand-off between Wike and the officer followed a row over the ownership of a piece of land being guarded by some armed military officers led by Yerima, on the instruction of a former Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Zubairu Gambo (retd.).

Wike had alleged that the ex-CNS illegally took over the land. A video obtained by THE WHISTLER showed the visibly enraged minister confronting the officer.

However, the coalition warned that should President Tinubu fail to act, it would “mobilise and occupy” the FCT ministry until Wike is removed.

The veterans made the demand at a press conference in Kaduna, where they described the minister’s conduct as “demeaning”, “unacceptable”, and “a direct insult to the Armed Forces and the Commander-in-Chief”.

Delivering the main address, a member of the Board of Trustees of the Coalition, Col. Yusuf Ibrahim (retd.), said the video in which the FCT minister referred to a naval officer as “a fool” was embarrassing and beneath the office Wike occupies

He argued that the naval officer was acting on lawful instructions, adding that insulting him amounted to belittling state authority.

He said, “Not everyone is worthy of certain offices they occupy. We are taken aback that a public office holder could call an officer ‘a fool’ on camera. If Wike was responsible, shouldn’t he have engaged the Chief of Naval Staff privately rather than trying to disgrace a very senior retired general? Who the hell is Wike?

“Why should a law enforcement officer who represents the president and sovereignty of the state be embarrassed the way the minister was? Insulting a commissioned officer is as good as insulting the president.”

Ibrahim added that Wike must apologise to the Nigerian Armed Forces, the young officer involved, and President Tinubu.

In contrast, the veterans commended the Minister of Defence, Badaru Abubakar; the Minister of State for Defence, Dr Bello Matawalle; the Chief of Defence Staff; and the Service Chiefs for their “professional handling” of the matter.

“We highly commend the manner in which the defence leadership handled the issue,” Ibrahim said.

While contributing at the briefing, another member of the coalition, Dr Awwal Abdullahi, who introduced himself as a Deputy Veteran Commander, accused the minister of showing a pattern of hostility toward military personnel.

He said the coalition would not hesitate to take to the streets if Tinubu fails to act, saying that “If the President refuses to sack Wike, we will mobilise and occupy the ministry of FCT until he is removed.”

Abdullahi described the veterans’ gathering as a representation of the entire retired military community.

According to him, Wike has a “long-standing attitude of insulting whoever he wants at any given time,” especially military personnel.

Abdullahi argued that the minister’s actions were undermining both the Armed Forces and the political image of the President.

He said, “This house represents all the military veterans in Nigeria. We disagree completely with what Minister Wike did to a brilliant young officer who was working on specific instructions and carrying out his duties diligently, respectfully, and professionally.

“In the past, he has revoked properties of the Armed Forces as if he hates the military and its personnel. He has demolished structures belonging to serving and retired officers. He has done it to naval personnel, army personnel, and Air Force personnel—even the Air Force as an institution.

“He (Wike) did not just disrespect the officer; he disrespected President Bola Tinubu, who appointed him in good faith.”

Abdullahi insisted that the loyalty of the Armed Forces to Tinubu is “100 per cent” and accused Wike of damaging the President’s long-standing political goodwill.

This was just as he added that veteran loyalty must not be taken for granted.

“Wike is busy making enemies, and these enemies are somehow affecting the President. Tinubu built his political career on friendship, mutual respect, and professionalism. Wike is diminishing that structure. The President should not allow one individual to destroy what he has built over many years.

“Loyalty in the Armed Forces is 100 per cent. Ninety-nine point nine per cent (99.9%) is not loyalty. We don’t think Wike is as loyal to the President as the Armed Forces are,” he said.

He argued that removing the minister would not harm the administration, adding that the veterans could no longer tolerate what they described as Wike’s arrogance.

“If you remove Nyesom Wike as minister of FCT, heaven will not fall. There are more capable hands—people who will represent the president better, with dignity, respect, and political maturity.

“If this is not done, we will mobilise and protest at the office of the Minister of FCT and block it until he is replaced,” he declared.

He stressed that whoever holds the FCT portfolio must exhibit a high level of maturity.

“That office represents Nigeria. Whoever holds it must be upright, humane, administratively capable, and politically open to all sectors of life,” he said. “FCT is the heart of Nigeria, and the minister must represent the nation, not fight it.”

Photos of retired members of the Nigerian Armed Forces are from a press conference in Kaduna on Friday… credit: Israel Attah