Nyesom Wike, minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), has faulted what he described as a deliberate misinterpretation of his confrontation with naval personnel led by Lt A.M. Yerima.
Speaking on Thursday at his residence in Life Camp, Wike dismissed comments by Tukur Yusuf Buratai, former Chief of Army Staff, who accused him of endangering national security and undermining President Bola Tinubu.
Wike said Buratai’s position was baseless and insisted that the retired general lacked the moral authority to lecture him on proper conduct.
He also rejected Buratai’s call for him to apologise to Yerima over the clash in Abuja’s Gaduwa district, saying the officer acted improperly during the disagreement.
The minister criticised Yerima for enforcing what he described as an unlawful directive regarding a disputed land allegedly linked to Awwal Gambo, former Chief of Naval Staff.
He said the land was illegally acquired and that the FCT administration acted within its mandate.
Wike insisted that the naval officer violated established regulations, adding that security operatives must respect civil authority and the rule of law.
His words: “I read what one former chief of army staff wrote. He cannot tell me of decency and he can’t teach me. This was the same man who allegedly directed his GOC to rig my election in 2019. He couldn’t rig me. He lost.
“He told his GOC to kill me and I could not be killed. He became an agent in APC primaries to one of APC’s presidential aspirants. Look at the rank of a polling agent. He is the one commenting that the minister did this and that. I have never seen people like this.”
Wike said he had no regrets for unsettling his political opponents in any party.
He added that he had no regrets about supporting Tinubu and would continue to act in accordance with the law.
Wike also faulted Yerima’s conduct, saying the officer failed to accord him respect as a minister representing the president.
He said: “Yes, you are a young man and a commissioned officer. Mr man, I am a minister and I’m representing Mr President. That alone should have given you decorum. But no, you chose to challenge the minister representing the president.
“And then you think that I am not a human being, I have no emotions. You are carrying out an illegal job. When people say ‘order’, do you need to carry out an illegal order? Even if it’s a legal order, that job you are doing is illegal. I went there as an institution, not a private individual. They arrested our officials.”
Wike said every individual, regardless of position, must respect the rule of law.
