THE Minister of State for Defence, Dr. Bello Matawalle, has clarified that the military officer involved in a recent confrontation with Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister Nyesom Wike will not face any disciplinary action.
Speaking in an interview with DCL Hausa in Gusau, Matawalle dismissed claims that the officer might be punished, describing the incident as being exaggerated in public discourse.
The confrontation, captured in a viral video on Tuesday, showed Wike in a heated exchange with Lt. Ahmed Yerima at a disputed land site in Abuja.
Matawalle noted that the Defence Ministry values mutual respect between civil authorities and the military, and confirmed that the matter has been resolved without recourse to punitive measures.
In the video, Wike demanded to see the approval granted to the landowner, insisting that all development activities must have official authorisation.
Meanwhile, human rights lawyer Femi Falana, SAN, has called on President Bola Tinubu to compel Wike to apologise for his derogatory comments toward the naval officer during the incident.
Speaking at the opening of the Legal Year at the University of Abuja’s Faculty of Law, Falana stressed that both parties acted improperly, taking the law into their own hands.
Falana acknowledged that Wike was executing his statutory duties under Section 11 of the Land Use Act but criticised his lack of emotional intelligence and use of offensive language toward the officer.
He cited a Ghanaian case in which a minister had to apologise for insulting a citizen, highlighting the importance of dignity and respect.
He said, “No Minister has the power to call any Nigerian a fool. Mr. President should compel the Minister to apologise. He was lucky he was not shot.
The military officer also contravened the law by preventing the Minister from performing his legal duty. Both parties erred, and the law must guide conduct in such matters.”