Military officer stands ground, tells Wike ‘I’m not a fool’ in response to minister’s insult
By Ishaya Ibrahim
Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, was prevented from demolishing a property belonging to a Naval officer after being confronted by a small unit of soldiers.
The military unit, commanded by an unknown officer, stood firm against Wike, despite the Minister arriving at the scene with a large entourage, including police officers, personnel from the Department of State Services (DSS), and civilian staff of the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA).
The confrontation nearly escalated into chaos when Wike’s security detail, including DSS and police personnel, shoved a soldier who they claimed was too close to the Minister. The soldier’s colleagues quickly retaliated with similar actions. An immediate and potentially violent gunfight was averted only by the timely intervention of Minister Wike and the commanding military officer.
Meanwhile, Wike’s attempt to assert his authority and proceed with the demolition was met with staunch resistance from the officer, leading to a heated war of words.
In a video of the encounter, the Minister directed insults at the officer, calling him “a fool,” “a small boy.” The officer, however, remained calm, rejected the insults, and reminded Wike that he was a commissioned regular officer who could not be intimidated.
The officer insisted he was acting under a superior order. Wike reportedly felt his ministerial order was paramount, but the officer refused to budge. Ultimately, Wike placed a call to the Chief of Defence Staff. Following the conversation, the Minister departed the scene, failing to achieve his initial objective despite his grandstanding.
