Nigeria’s Minister of Defence, Bello Matawalle, has criticised the Federal Capital Territory Minister, Nyesom Wike, for confronting a naval officer during a visit to a disputed land in Gaduwa, Abuja, despite being advised by top military officers to wait for an investigation.
Speaking in an interview with DCL Hausa, Matawalle described the incident as unfortunate, saying Wike had already spoken with the Chief of Defence Staff and the Chief of Naval Staff, who asked him to exercise patience.
“What happened between Minister Wike and the officer is unfortunate. When he got there, the officer explained that he was simply obeying orders given to him. Wike should not have exchanged words with the officer; he ought to have addressed his concerns through the officer’s superiors,” Matawalle said.
He said the naval officer, identified as Lieutenant Commander Yerima, acted according to instructions and showed discipline and respect throughout the encounter.
“He is our colleague, and Wike could have reached out to us to resolve whatever issue. The officer’s action was lawful—he was trained to be disciplined, loyal, and obedient to orders. Therefore, the young officer only carried out his duty worthy of commendation,” the minister added.
Matawalle also stressed that the officer did not break any military rules.
“He did not commit any offence under military regulations; he merely obeyed a lawful order and followed due process. If you observe carefully, he spoke respectfully and conducted himself properly,” he said.
He cautioned that public officials must respect members of the Armed Forces, noting that disrespecting a uniformed officer amounts to undermining the authority of the President, who is the Commander-in-Chief.
“There is, therefore, no offence under military law for which he should be charged. Wike should not have engaged him in an altercation. Anyone who disrespects a soldier indirectly disrespects the President,” he stated.
The Defence Minister clarified that his comments were not to justify indiscipline but to emphasise the need to follow command procedures.
“This is not about supporting the military to act disrespectfully toward civilians. The Minister should understand that every officer has superiors. I gathered that he called the Chief of Defence Staff, who advised him to wait for an investigation,” he said.
