A tense confrontation erupted on Tuesday between the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, and some military officers in the Gaduwa District of Abuja after the minister was prevented from accessing a piece of land reportedly linked to the Nigerian Navy.
According to footage obtained, Wike arrived at the site with FCT officials and security aides but was stopped by armed soldiers who insisted they were acting under orders.
The standoff quickly escalated, prompting heated exchanges between the minister’s team and the military personnel.
“This is unprofessional. You cannot be threatening a minister like this,” one of the FCT officials was heard saying as tensions rose.
Visibly angered, Wike accused the soldiers of acting with impunity and undermining lawful authority, arguing that no one, including the military, is above the law.
“You have no document,” Wike declared during the exchange.
“We cannot continue to act with impunity.
”You cannot be higher than any government or use a gun to intimidate anybody. I am not one of those they can intimidate.”
The FCT minister alleged that the disputed land was being developed without due process or valid allocation records within the FCTA system.
He vowed that his administration would not tolerate illegal occupation or unauthorized development, regardless of who was involved.
“It’s unfortunate. Someone who once served as Chief of Naval Staff should have come to my office to clarify the issue rather than using his military status to intimidate Nigerians. I will not succumb to blackmail, ” he said.
Despite the minister’s warnings, the soldiers maintained their position, saying they were acting on direct instructions from former Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Awwal Zubairu Gambo (rtd.), under whose directive the land was being secured.
The incident, which occurred in a highbrow area of Abuja, has reignited discussions about land administration in the FCT, the limits of ministerial power, and the role of the military in civilian property disputes.
As of press time, neither the Nigerian Navy nor the FCT Administration had issued an official statement addressing the confrontation.
