The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has faulted commentators who claimed he “met his match” during his confrontation with a naval officer, Lt. A. A. Yerima, at a disputed plot of land in Abuja, saying such remarks stem from “laziness” and failure to investigate the facts.
Naijaonpoint reports that Wike spoke during a press conference in Abuja on Thursday, insisting that the ongoing public debate had ignored the underlying threat to government officials carrying out lawful duties.
“Laziness, people don’t read, people don’t investigate. I saw the lady saying Wike has met his match. And you don’t want to find out what really happened,” he said.
Wike condemned the increasing attacks on Federal Capital Territory Administration officials on enforcement assignments, warning that such incidents have escalated in recent months.
“Government officials have been attacked. Government officials are being beaten up. Government officials to the level of directorship,” he said.
He questioned the rationale behind allowing such assaults while he remains the minister responsible for their protection.
“How will some officials carry out their functions again when they know their principal and their boss cannot protect them?” he asked.
Speaking on his approach to governance, Wike praised respected national figures like former President, Olusegun Obasanjo and retired General T.Y. Danjuma for preferring dialogue over coercion.
“General T.Y. Danjuma will call you. These are people with discipline. They never sent soldiers. They never sent anybody to go and attack anybody,” he said.
Wike maintained that the contentious land was originally allocated to Santos for parks and recreation, not to any individual or service chief. He said multiple attempts to change the land’s purpose were rejected by the FCT Administration.
He accused the former Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Awwal Gambo (rtd.), of selling land illegally and assaulting enforcement officers.
“This man must have been scammed. He does not have the required documents to lay claim to the land,” he said.
The minister also warned against selective enforcement influenced by military ties or tribal sentiment.
“Government cannot enforce laws because you are taxed or you had a relationship or you come from a particular place. Who does that?” Wike queried.
He emphasised that no construction can proceed in the FCT without proper approval.
“Even when you have a building at your backyard, you can’t even go and extend. You must seek approval from the cities,” he said.
Wike insisted that as a minister, he represents the President and should not have been challenged by a junior officer in public.
He said, “Yes, you are a young man, yes, you are a commissioned officer, but I am a minister and I’m representing Mr President. That alone should have given you that decorum,” he said.
“It is the same government officials that you are beating; they are the ones who made you a commissioned officer. You are not beating private people.”
Wike criticised the decision to deploy armed personnel to block FCT officials from executing a legal stop-work order.
“Is that why you should deploy the military? You see a whole director, deputy director, senior government officials. It did not occur to you to say, let me see how I can resolve this matter?” he said.
He urged all FCT residents, including political appointees and high-ranking individuals, to ensure that their building and land documents are complete.
“I say it that even when you are working with me, you are not here forever. Perfect your document. The mere fact that nobody did that yesterday does not mean that nobody will not do that tomorrow,” he warned.
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