A naval officer, A.M. Yerima, has broken his silence over a confrontation with the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, saying he would not be disrespected by civilians.
The incident occurred when Wike attempted to gain entrance into a property in Abuja, but was resisted by Yerima and other military personnel.
In a tweet, Yerima wrote, “Military zone, keep off! We sacrificed and suffered during training, not to be disrespected by civilians who think we don’t know our job. Thanks to Nigeria for the love and motivation”.
Many Nigerians have applauded Yerima for his professionalism and courage in handling the situation, while others have condemned him for obstructing the duty of the civilian minister.
Esther Kisa commented, “The actions of Wike towards the army officer were an egregious affront to the Nigerian Armed Forces and the President as the Commander-in-Chief. His demeanor was unprofessional, as he chose to address the officer in a condescending and rude manner”.
@mrkrukrubo added, “You showed courage and restraint in the face of obvious provocation. As a commissioned officer, your training is to obey the orders of your superiors and you discharged that duty creditable. No one should attempt to denigrate our men and women in uniform. Anyone who does that is not fit to be called a PUBLIC SERVANT”.
The incident has sparked a heated debate on social media, with some calling for Wike to apologize to Yerima and the Nigerian Armed Forces, while others believe Yerima was wrong to obstruct the minister.
The Coalition of Military Veterans has also called on Wike to apologize to Yerima, saying his language was unacceptable and undermined the dignity of the office of a minister.
Even a former Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Tukur Yusuf Buratai (retd.), in a statement on his verified Facebook page on Tuesday, said Wike’s conduct during the exchange “transcends mere misconduct” and “undermines the authority of the Commander-in-Chief and the integrity of the Armed Forces.”
Buratai, in his reaction, said the minister’s tone and public rebuke of a uniformed officer amounted to “a reckless act that strikes at the core of Nigeria’s command and control structure.”
He said, “A minister’s verbal assault on a military officer in uniform is an act of profound indiscipline that strikes at the very foundation of our national security apparatus. It is not political theatre it is a reckless endangerment of national order.”
He added, “This action by Wike is clearly an indication of undermining the Federal Government’s authority. It disrespects the Commander-in-Chief and wounds the morale of every officer who serves under the Nigerian flag.”
Buratai, who served as Nigeria’s Chief of Army Staff from 2015 to 2021, urged President Bola Tinubu to treat the matter as a national security concern.
“Barrister Nyesom Wike must tender an immediate and unequivocal public apology to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu as Commander-in-Chief, to the Armed Forces of Nigeria, and to the specific officer whose honour was violated,” he declared.
“The integrity of our Armed Forces demands nothing less. Our nation’s security must come first. It is time for decisive action, not politics of military bashing,”
However , analysts have warned that the incident highlights the need for respect and cooperation between civil and military agencies, especially in the nation’s capital, Abuja.
