Matawalle says Wike-Naval officer clash unnecessary, avoidable

Bello Matawalle, Minister of State for Defence, has described Tuesday’s confrontation between Nyesom Wike, Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), and Ahmed Yerima, a naval officer over an alleged land dispute in Abuja as unnecessary and avoidable.

The clash occurred at a site in Gaduwa District, Abuja, where armed naval personnel, led by Yerima, were guarding a disputed plot of land.

Reports indicated that Yerima was acting on instructions from a Zubairu Gambo,
former Chief of Naval Staff.

The altercation escalated after Wike accused the ex-naval chief of unlawfully seizing the land, a claim captured in a viral video, showing the visibly angry FCT Minister confronting the officer.

Speaking in an interview with DCL Hausa, released on its YouTube channel on Wednesday, Matawalle urged that such disputes should be resolved through official channels rather than through public confrontations.

According to Matawalle, Wike had previously contacted both the Chief of Defence Staff and the Chief of Naval Staff, who advised him to allow the military to investigate the matter before taking any action.

“What happened between Wike and the officer is unfortunate. When he got there, the officer explained that he was simply obeying orders.

“Wike should not have exchanged words with the officer; he ought to have addressed his concerns through the officer’s superiors,” Matawalle said.

The Minister emphasised that Yerima acted professionally and strictly in line with orders.

“The officer’s action was lawful because he was trained to be disciplined, loyal, and obedient. Therefore, the young officer only carried out his duty, worthy of commendation,” he added.

Matawalle further stressed that Yerima did not violate any military regulations during the encounter.

“He spoke respectfully and conducted himself properly. There is no offence under military law for which he should be charged,” the minister said.

Highlighting the importance of respecting uniformed personnel, Matawalle warned that public officials who show disrespect for the military indirectly undermine the authority of the President, the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces.

“This is not about supporting military indiscipline toward civilians. The Minister should understand that every officer has superiors.

“Wike called the Chief of Defence Staff, who advised him to wait for an investigation, but he ignored this advice and proceeded to the site,” Matawalle explained.

The minister disclosed that the Chief of Naval Staff has since visited the disputed location to begin a formal investigation into the ownership of the land.

“Now that the Chief of Naval Staff has visited the area, since it involves a land dispute, the matter will be investigated to determine who holds the lawful documents,” he said.

Matawalle also reiterated that any revocation of land should follow established administrative procedures rather than confrontation.

“If the land has been revoked, there are proper diplomatic procedures to be followed,” he said.

He added that while the Ministry of Defence has not received a formal complaint from Wike, he personally contacted the FCT Minister after the viral video to advise that the situation could have been resolved without direct confrontation.