Nigerians are actively expressing their opinions regarding the recent confrontation between FCT Minister Nyesom Wike and Navy Lieutenant A.M. Yerima.
While many are advocating for strict sanctions against the military officer, labeling his behavior as a violation of the rule of law, others defend his actions, praising his bravery in standing up to the Minister.
Defends Minister, Buratai back officer
In a new twist of event, the Minister of Defence Mohammed Badaru, has defended the action of Lieutenant A.M Yerima, the naval officer who stood up to the Minister of the FCT, Nyesom Wike, over access to a parcel of land allegedly belonging to former Chief of Naval Vice Admiral Awwal Gambo.
Badaru assured that the Ministry of Defence and the Military High Command will protect every soldier on lawful duty.
“Well, at the Ministry, and indeed the Armed Forces, we will always protect our officers on lawful duty.
“So we are looking into this issue, and we assure that any officer on lawful duty will be protected highly, so we will not allow anything to happen to him as long far he is doing his job, and he’s doing his job greatly well,” Badaru explained.
Earlier, a former Chief of Army Staff, Rtd Major General Tukur Buratai, noted that the altercation between Wike and the young Navy officer “can not be dismissed as political theatre” and strongly condemned the minister’s action.
According to Buratai, Wike’s verbal assault on the military officer who was in uniform was purely “profound indiscipline”, which was purely against Nigeria’s “command and control structure.”
He explained that it is a direct disrespect to the “Commander-in-Chief”, which is President Bola Tinubu. The former COAS went on to note that it would remain a wound on the morale of everyone serving the country, and it went against every pillar of discipline, which was the representation of the security apparatus of the country.
The statement reads in part: “This can not be dismissed as political theatre. It is a reckless endangerment of national order. This action by Wike is clearly an indication of undermining the federal government’s authority.”
The former COAS then asked the minister to immediately tender a public and unequivocal apology to President Tinubu, the Nigerian Armed Forces and the officer he verbally assaulted, warning that Nigeria’s security must always be prioritised and the integrity of the armed forces must be respected.
Dele Farotimi Condemns Officer’s action
Human rights activist, Dele Farotimi condemned the officers action describing it as an affront to the tenet of the rule of law.
Farotimi Wrote, “Nigerians will applaud anyone and anything that discomfits their oppressors. They reflexively applauded Trump, fraudulent patriotism be damned, and now they applaud Yerima’s regimented impunity, as an antidote to Wike’s madness..
“Have you wondered if the order Yerima is obeying is legal? If Yerima, Wike, and the officer who gave the order are subject to the rule of law, would the officer be able to order a NAVAL officer to secure a disputed plot of land? What is the role of the courts? I detest Wike’s methods, but my loyalty is to the law and the truth.
“You guys are missing the point, and this is largely because of the involvement of a man as divisive and odious as Wike. I am deliberately blind to the persons involved and I am focused on the systemic issues. Wike has no business on the land, but it is wrong to deploy military personnel in protection of a land in dispute.”
Asari Dokubo backs prosecution of officer
In a video on Facebook, the Former Niger Delta militant leader, Asari Dokubo on Wednesday, condemned the face-off between the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Nyesom Wike and some military officers.
“I’m not taking side with Wike, I’m taking side with what is the law, the rule, and the convention. What happened yesterday, in any sane society, that person will be reprimanded and detained.
“The confrontation with the military man and the Minister of FCT is uncalled for. The Minister is the governor of the FCT and constitutionally, he is the chief security officer outside the president of the city of Abuja.
“I might not like Wike, our relationships have witnessed ups and downs, but in any sane society that fellow ought to have been court marshalled. It can’t happen anywhere outside Nigeria.
“There is law in Abuja and nobody has the right to go and develop a piece of property without following the laid down rules and regulations pertaining to developing properties.
“A military man is subjected to the constitution, he is not above the constitution. If Wike himself did not go there, they would say government officials do not take their work serious.
“In an executive system of government the bulk at the table of the executive officer l, I didn’t see anything wrong in the Minister going there. The only place I had a problem with him was the language he used when he was leaving.
“Nobody can accept that sort of affront from somebody who by the law ought to see you as his superior.”
Action against rule of law- Lawyer
A Nigerian Lawyer, Akinyemi Rahman, identified as @heisrahman on X, condemned the confrontation, describing it as an action against the provision of the rule of law.
He wrote, “Don’t be fooled into applauding spectacle because you dislike a politician. I can’t believe Nigerians including lawyers are celebrating this. Using armed forces to stop public officials from doing their jobs is dangerous and unacceptable.
“This isn’t heroism; it’s the abuse of force. Because Wike is involved doesn’t justify blind cheer. If soldiers can be used this way against the FCT Minister, they can be used against anyone. They should hold those officers accountable and make an example. No one is above the rule of law.”
