Another perspective has emerged from the confrontation between Minister of Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Nyesom Wike, and a military team led by Navy Lieutenant A. Yerima on Tuesday over access to a piece of land in Abuja,the nation’s capital.
Recall that the armed soldiers flatly denied the Minister access to the land, now known to be owned by a retired Naval chief, Vice Admiral Auwal Zubair Gambo.
Yerima insisted that, in not letting the Minister access, he, a serving officer, was acting on “orders from above.”
However, at a media briefing on Thursday, Wike disclosed that the Yerima-led military guards on the land allegedly beat up a team of FCT Administration (FCTA) officials he (Minister) had earlier despatched to the land tho assess and verify the authenticity of reports received which showed land violations by the developer (Gambo).
The Minister added that even a Director, a top official in the Administration and Federal Public Service by all standards,who led the FCTA team, was not spared by the khaki boys as he too was allegedly brutalized -thus prompting the Minister’s personal visit and intervention.
The Minister’s revelation has sparked fresh outrage on social media with many Nigerians saying,if true, then such acts of brutality on public officials on lawful duty had, again,shown up some persons in the military as flexing muscles mainly when it pertains to unarmed civilians.
Some pointed to the prolonged war against “a rag tag Boko Haram militia” which soldiers had not been able to win decisively for close go 15 years now.
Speaking to journalists before the FCT Executive Council meeting on Thursday, Wike criticized what he called the retired Naval chief’s impunity in sending serving officers to guard the disputed private property.
He defended his decision to personally visit the site, saying he could not sit back while government officials were being attacked.
Wike said: “How can I sit as a Minister when government officials are being attacked and beaten up, officials at the level of directors? And I’ll just sit in my office doing what?”
Wike had earlier confronted Yerima on Tuesday at Plot No. 1946, Gaduwa District, Abuja, after reports that the naval officer assaulted FCTA staff who went to stop construction on the land.
The Minister condemned the use of soldiers to block lawful enforcement by FCTA officials.
He compared the situation with how other influential Nigerians had handled similar disputes.
The Minister recalled: “Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, a former Head of State and President, will simply call me. He’ll say, ‘Minister, I have a problem on this land, can you help?’ and I’ll solve it.
“That is a former Head of State, a former President, who has the courtesy to call the Minister.
“General T.Y. Danjuma will do the same. They never sent soldiers to attack anybody. They just call.”
Wike also accused the Naval officer of insulting police officers who arrived the scene with him.
“Nobody talks like that. A security man saying, ‘Bloody police! Who are these bloody police that will talk to you?’
“You say you’re a commissioned officer, to God be the glory, but it is these same government officials you’re beating are the ones who made you what you are.”
Wike, however, stressed that he respects the Nigerian military and his issue was not with the institution but with an individual.
“I have respect for the military, and I’ll continue to respect them. I know what the institution stands for. I’m not a fool; I went to school.
“So anyone trying to suggest I have problems with them is wrong. I have no problem with the military, and I never will. Why would I have issues with the government? But this is a private matter,” he said.
*PHOTO CAPTION: Wike.
