Wike Ignored Our Advice and Confronted the Officer — Minister of State for Defence Matawalle

The Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle, has criticized the actions of the Federal Capital Territory Minister, Nyesom Wike, during a confrontation with a military officer at a disputed Abuja site. According to Matawalle, Wike ignored advice from both the Chief of Defence Staff and the Chief of Naval Staff, who had urged him to allow the military to handle the matter through proper channels.

In an interview with DCL Hausa, Matawalle described the encounter as “unfortunate,” emphasizing that the officer involved, Lieutenant AY Yerima, was simply following lawful orders and military protocol. He stressed that Wike should have addressed his concerns through the officer’s superiors rather than engaging directly.

“There is no offence under military law for which he should be charged,” Matawalle said, adding that respecting soldiers also reflects respect for the President as Commander-in-Chief. He clarified that his remarks were meant to highlight the importance of following chain-of-command procedures, not to condone indiscipline.

Matawalle noted that Wike had contacted the Chief of Defence Staff and the Chief of Naval Staff, both of whom advised waiting for an investigation. Despite this guidance, Wike reportedly proceeded to the site, leading to the confrontation. The Chief of Naval Staff has since visited the area to initiate a formal investigation into the ownership of the disputed land.

The defence minister underscored that any revocation of the land should have followed established administrative and diplomatic processes, rather than direct confrontation. He also revealed that the Ministry of Defence had not received a formal complaint from Wike regarding the incident, but that he had personally advised the minister to coordinate with authorities before visiting the site.