Wike Ignored Advice From Military Chiefs Before Visiting Disputed Land—Matawalle

…Says Naval Officer Only Obeyed Orders, Deserves Commendation

The Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle, has confirmed that the Ministry of Defence has launched a formal investigation into an alleged land dispute between the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, and a naval officer, Lieutenant A. Yerima.

The officer, according to reports, acted under the instruction of former Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Zubairu Gambo (retd.), a development that has sparked a public debate on civil–military relations within the Federal Capital Territory.

Matawalle described the confrontation that occurred on Tuesday, as an unnecessary altercation that indirectly disrespected President Bola Tinubu, the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces.

Speaking with DCL Hausa in an interview, the minister said the clash could have been avoided if proper communication channels had been followed.

He emphasised that disputes involving military personnel and civilians must be handled through formal channels rather than through public confrontation.

According to Matawalle, Wike had earlier reached out to both the Chief of Defence Staff and the Chief of Naval Staff, who advised him to allow the military to handle the matter internally before taking any action.

“What happened between Minister Wike and the officer is unfortunate. When he got there, the officer explained that he was obeying orders given to him. Wike should not have exchanged words with the officer; he ought to have addressed his concerns through the officer’s superior,” Matawalle said.

He noted that Wike ignored multiple cautions to wait for an official investigation, despite assurances from senior military officers that the issue would be promptly examined.

“This is not about supporting the military to act disrespectfully toward civilians. The Minister should understand that every officer has superiors. I gathered that he called the Chief of Defence Staff, who advised him to wait for an investigation.

“However, he did not wait and instead went straight to the site. As a leader, he ought to have exercised patience and waited for the outcome of the investigation,” he added.

Matawalle revealed that the Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Idi Abbas, also spoke with Wike, assuring him that an inquiry would be conducted.

“Wike also contacted the Chief of Naval Staff, who assured him that an investigation would be conducted. Yet again, he did not wait. It was supposed to be a one-day inquiry, but he chose to go there and confront them,” Matawalle stated.

Clarifying further, the minister stressed that his response should not be misinterpreted as a defence of military misconduct but as a reminder of the importance of discipline and respect for the chain of command.

“He (Wike) is our colleague, and Wike could have reached out to us to resolve whatever issue.

“The officer’s action was lawful because he was trained to be disciplined, loyal, and obedient to orders. Therefore, the young officer only carried out his duty worthy of commendation.

“He did not commit any offence under military regulations; he merely obeyed a lawful order and followed due process. If you observe, he spoke respectfully and conducted himself properly,” Matawalle said.

He maintained that there was no legal or disciplinary basis for any punishment against the officer, insisting that any disrespect towards uniformed personnel equates to disrespect toward the President as Commander-in-Chief.

“There is, therefore, no offence under military law for which he should be charged. Wike should not have engaged him in an altercation, especially out of respect for the uniform he was wearing. Anyone who disrespects a soldier indirectly disrespects the President, who is the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces. There is, therefore, no basis for any punishment against the officer,” the minister emphasised.

Matawalle disclosed that the Chief of Naval Staff has since visited the disputed site to initiate a full investigation into the ownership and allocation of the land in question.

“Now that the Chief of Naval Staff has visited the area—since it involves a land dispute—the matter will be investigated to know who owns the lawful documents,” he explained.

“If the land has been revoked, there are established procedures to be followed diplomatically,” Matawalle added.

He also revealed that although the Ministry of Defence has not received any formal complaint from Wike, he personally reached out to the FCT Minister after a video of the incident went viral.

“We have not received any formal complaint from Wike, but I called him after the video went viral and advised that he should have spoken with me before going there, rather than confronting the officers directly,” Matawalle said.

Meanwhile, the Minister of Defence, Mohammad Abubakar, assured that no officer or soldier performing lawful duties will face punishment following the incident.

“We will always protect officers and our armed forces personnel on lawful duty. Any officer on lawful duty will be protected if he is doing his job lawfully and if he does it well,” Abubakar stated.