A heated confrontation erupted on Tuesday between the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, and a group of armed soldiers who blocked him and his entourage from accessing a disputed parcel of land in the Gaduwa district of Abuja.
The standoff occurred when the soldiers reportedly denied Wike entry to the site, prompting outrage from members of his team. One of the minister’s aides could be heard saying, “This is unprofessional. You cannot be threatening a minister like this,” as the soldiers stood their ground.
Visibly angered, Wike questioned the legality of the soldiers’ actions, stressing that no one is above the law. He accused those occupying the land of bypassing due process and developing the area illegally.
“You have no document,” the minister declared, insisting that the supposed landholders had no valid papers backing their claim. When the soldiers refused to step aside, citing orders from their superiors, Wike condemned what he described as growing lawlessness in the country.
“We cannot continue to act in impunity. We cannot continue this way. This country cannot go along this line,” he said. “You cannot be higher than any government. You cannot be carrying a gun to intimidate anybody. I am not one of those that they can intimidate.”
‘I Will Not Succumb to Blackmail’
Following the tense exchange, Wike told reporters that the soldiers’ conduct reflected “impunity and disregard for authority.” He asserted that the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) had no record showing that the land was legally allocated.
“It’s really unfortunate. And you heard what was said by the former Chief of Staff,” he said. “I don’t understand how somebody who attained that position, seeing that he has a problem, cannot approach my office to say, ‘Look, this is what’s going on,’ or simply because he is a military man, they could use that to intimidate Nigerians.”
The minister maintained that his administration would not tolerate such abuses, saying he “will not succumb to blackmail.”
Despite Wike’s insistence, the soldiers refused to vacate the site, claiming they were acting on the directives of a former Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Zubairu Gambo.
What you should know
Nyesom Wike, who currently serves as Minister of the FCT, has built a reputation for his no-nonsense approach to governance and insistence on compliance with urban development laws.
The Gaduwa land dispute adds to his growing list of confrontations over illegal land acquisitions in the capital.
His clash with soldiers highlights ongoing tensions between civilian authorities and sections of the military over land ownership and power boundaries in Abuja.
