The shouting and shoving match that took place in Abuja yesterday between Federal Capital Territory Minister Nyesom Wike and a Navy detachment guarding a plot of land was because the minister was trying to seize land earlier bought by a former Chief of Naval Staff, according to a senior naval officer.
In a statement obtained by 21st Century Chronicle last night, the officer said, “The incident occurred at Gaduwa, before Games Village, at about 1255 hrs. The land was acquired by [recently retired Chief of Navy Staff] Vice Admiral Awwal Gambo in 2020 with all the legal documents. In September 2025, the Admiral decided to develop his land and after about a week, [officials of] the Development Control Council came around and asked for the documents and building approval, which the engineer showed them.
“After two days, they came back and stated that the land had been revoked by the current FCT Minister, with no conditions provided. Efforts have been made to reach out to him to ask why, but there are no concrete or genuine reasons. They came to stop the work, which prompted us to pursue them. The Minister came around on Saturday and issued enough threats, stating that they were coming to bring the building down. Earlier today around 11 am, two bulldozers from Development Control came to bring the building down but we refused them. They called him and he then sent the FCT Commissioner of Police. When all efforts proved abortive, he came down himself. That’s when we blocked him from the entrance, not grant him access to the facility. He had to call the Chief of Defence Staff and report the matter. The CDS spoke with the officer, that they should calm down, they are on top of the situation.”
Video of the encounter, which dominated discussion of almost all Nigerian social media sites on Tuesday afternoon and evening, drew sharp reactions from Nigerians. Most commented upon was the Minister calling the Navy Captain in charge of the guards a fool, to which the officer replied, “I am not a fool, sir.” Many Nigerians also expressed shock that a minister will get involved in a shouting and shoving match against a military team, when he could have handled the situation by speaking to the Minister of Defence to clear any issues at stake.
While the minister’s security detail of DSS agents and Mobile Policemen were armed, the military guards were also heavily armed. The situation could easily have degenerated into a shooting match.
