The Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle, has criticised the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, for ignoring advice from top military chiefs before confronting a naval officer, Lieutenant Commander Ahmed Yerima, at a disputed plot of land in the Gaduwa district of Abuja.
Speaking during an interview with DCL Hausa, Matawalle described the confrontation as “most unfortunate,” revealing that Wike had earlier contacted the Chief of Defence Staff and the Chief of Naval Staff, both of whom advised him to allow the military to investigate the issue before taking any action.
“When Wike got there, the officer explained that he was simply 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 superiors,” Matawalle said.
The minister cautioned government officials to show respect to members of the Armed Forces, stressing that disrespecting a uniformed officer amounts to undermining the authority of the President, who is the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces.
In a viral video from November 11, 2025, Wike was seen engaging Lt. Yerima in a heated exchange during an impromptu visit to a site allegedly owned by the military. The FCT Minister accused the officer of obstructing his directive regarding the land.
Matawalle said the Ministry of Defence had not received any formal complaint from the FCT Administration but confirmed that he personally reached out to Wike after the video surfaced.
“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. The officer’s action was lawful. He was trained to be disciplined, loyal, and obedient to orders. Therefore, the young officer only carried out his duty worthy of commendation,” he said.
He added that Lt. Yerima did not violate any military regulations and handled himself with professionalism.
“Navy Lt. Yerima did not commit any offence under military regulations. He merely obeyed a lawful order and followed due process. If you observe carefully, he spoke respectfully and conducted himself properly. 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,” Matawalle noted.
The defence minister clarified that his comments were not meant to excuse indiscipline within the military but to stress the need for proper command channels and administrative procedures.
“This is not about supporting the military to act disrespectfully toward civilians. The Minister should understand that every officer has superiors. He called the Chief of Defence Staff, who advised him to wait for an investigation. The Chief of Naval Staff also assured Wike that an inquiry would be conducted. He refused to wait and instead went straight to the site,” he explained.
Matawalle confirmed that the Chief of Naval Staff has since visited the disputed area to begin a formal investigation into its ownership, adding that any land revocation must follow due administrative and diplomatic processes.
“If any land has been revoked, there are established procedures to be followed diplomatically,” Matawalle said.
