Former Chief of Army Staff Tukur Buratai has criticised Nyesom Wike, minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), over a confrontation with military personnel at a disputed plot of land in Abuja.
Videos circulating on Tuesday showed Wike engaged in a heated exchange with soldiers at the site in the nation’s capital.
In a statement, Buratai said the incident posed a “threat to national security” and called for an “immediate and serious response.”
“His public disparagement of a uniformed officer of the Nigerian Armed Forces transcends mere misconduct; it represents a palpable threat to national security and institutional integrity,” the statement read.
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Buratai described the incident as “an act of profound indiscipline” that undermines the military chain of command, disrespects the authority of the commander-in-chief, and damages troop morale.
“This cannot be dismissed as political theatre. It is a reckless endangerment of national order. This action by Wike is clearly an indication of undermining the federal government’s authority,” he added.
The former army chief urged Wike to apologise to President Bola Tinubu, as commander-in-chief of the armed forces, and to the officer involved.
“Our nation’s security must come first. It is time for decisive action, not politics of military bashing. The integrity of our armed forces demands nothing less,” Buratai said.
