Former Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Tukur Yusuf Buratai (retd.), has cautioned that the confrontation between the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, and a Nigerian Navy officer in Abuja poses “a clear and present danger to national security.”
In a statement posted on his verified Facebook page on Tuesday, Buratai said Wike’s behavior during the exchange “goes beyond misconduct” and “undermines the authority of the Commander-in-Chief and the integrity of the Armed Forces.”
The incident reportedly took place at Plot 1946, Gaduwa District, Abuja, following a dispute over the ownership and development rights of a piece of land said to be linked to a former Chief of Naval Staff.
Wike, who visited the site with senior officials of the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA), was there to stop what he described as “illegal construction.” During the visit, he confronted a naval officer allegedly overseeing the property.
In a viral video of the encounter, Wike is seen angrily questioning the officer’s presence, saying that no one, including members of the military, is above the law.
“You are in uniform, and you’re telling me the Navy owns this land? Who gave you approval to build? Even if you are the Chief of Naval Staff, the law must be respected,” Wike said.
The unnamed officer reportedly told the minister that the land belonged to a former service chief and that the military was authorised to protect it.
Reacting to the development, Buratai condemned Wike’s tone and public rebuke of a uniformed officer, describing it as “a reckless act that threatens Nigeria’s command and control system.”
He said, “A minister verbally attacking a military officer in uniform is an act of gross indiscipline that undermines national security. This is not politics, it’s a serious threat to national order.”
Buratai added that Wike’s actions disrespected the Commander-in-Chief, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, and could lower the morale of officers serving in the Armed Forces.
He called on President Tinubu to address the issue urgently, urging Wike to make a public apology.
“Barrister Nyesom Wike must immediately and publicly apologise to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, to the Armed Forces of Nigeria, and to the officer involved,” Buratai stated.
“The integrity of our military must be protected. National security must always come before politics.”
