By Peter Omopo | Abuja
The Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle, has criticised Tuesday’s confrontation between the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, and a naval officer, Lieutenant A. Yerima, describing the incident as needless and avoidable.
The clash, which was captured in a viral video, stemmed from a dispute over the ownership of a parcel of land in the Gaduwa District of Abuja. The land was reportedly being secured by armed naval personnel acting on the instructions of former Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Zubairu Gambo (retd.).
In the video, Wike accused the retired naval chief of illegally taking over the land, leading to a tense exchange with the officer on duty.
Speaking in an interview with DCL Hausa on Wednesday, Matawalle said the issue should have been handled through official military and administrative channels rather than a public confrontation.
According to him, Wike had earlier contacted both the Chief of Defence Staff and the Chief of Naval Staff, who advised him to allow the military to conduct an inquiry before taking any action.
“What happened between Minister Wike and the officer is unfortunate,” Matawalle said. “The officer explained that he was only acting on orders. Wike should not have exchanged words with him. He ought to have addressed his concerns through the officer’s superiors.”
The minister emphasised that Lt. Yerima acted professionally, lawfully, and within the rules of military conduct.
“He did not commit any offence under military regulations. He obeyed a lawful order and remained disciplined. He spoke respectfully and conducted himself properly,” he added.
Matawalle further cautioned public office holders against confronting uniformed personnel, stressing that disrespecting military officers also undermines the authority of the President, who serves as Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces.
“Anyone who disrespects a soldier indirectly disrespects the President. There is no basis for punishing the officer,” he said.
He clarified that his comments were not an endorsement of military overreach but a reminder of the importance of following the chain of command.
“This is not about encouraging soldiers to act disrespectfully. Every officer has superiors, and the Minister was advised to allow an investigation. He should have waited,” he stated.
Matawalle revealed that despite assurances from military leadership that the matter would be probed, Wike still proceeded to confront the naval personnel at the site.
He confirmed that the Chief of Naval Staff has since visited the disputed land to initiate a formal inquiry to determine the rightful ownership.
“If the land has been revoked, there are established procedures to follow. These procedures should have been applied diplomatically,” he said.
The minister added that the Ministry of Defence had not received a formal complaint from Wike regarding the incident. However, he personally reached out to the FCT Minister after the video circulated widely online.
“I called him and advised that he should have engaged us directly before going there,” Matawalle noted.
The investigation into the ownership of the disputed land is ongoing.
