On Tuesday, viral videos showed Wike being stopped by
military personnel from accessing the site, sparking a heated argument with an
officer.

In the footage, Wike was seen stepping in to defuse the
situation, separating his security detail from the soldiers as tensions
escalated.

Speaking with the officers, the minister demanded to see the
approval granted to the owners of the land.

A soldier, who led the group, told Wike that his men were
not intimidating anyone, stating that the landowner had all the necessary
documents.

Speaking at an event at the University of Abuja on Thursday,
Falana condemned the minister’s public insult of the military officer, saying
no public official has the right to ridicule any Nigerian.

“The president must direct the minister to apologise. That
is what is done in civilised societies,” Falana said, citing a similar incident
in Ghana where a deputy minister was compelled to withdraw offensive remarks.

Falana criticised the military officers who prevented the
minister from carrying out his statutory duty, describing their actions as an
overreach of authority.

He recalled that under section 11 of the Land Use Act, the
FCT minister and state governors have unquestionable powers to enter and
inspect any land within their jurisdiction.

The human right activist said the military officer who
stopped Wike was acting illegally, reportedly on orders from above.

“The minister was performing his statutory duty. Any
occupier of land must allow the minister or governor to enter and inspect the
property,” Falana said.

He added that if the minister was prevented from performing
his duty, the proper course of action would have been to withdraw and seek
redress through legal channels, such as filing a petition or obtaining a court
order.

“On no ground can the minister take the law into his own
hands by forcing himself and abusing a military officer,” he said.

Falana dismissed claims that insulting a military officer in
uniform constitutes a threat to national security, emphasising that a uniform
is merely clothing and does not confer superiority.

The senior lawyer also criticised US President Donald
Trump’s threat of military action in Nigeria to protect Christians,
highlighting America’s own struggles with gun violence.

“In the last five years, about 280,000 Americans have been
killed by gunmen, including school children and worshippers. Trump cannot stop
that because of the powerful influence of weapons manufacturers,” he said.

He urged Nigerians, especially the youth and lawyers, to
unite and insist that every Nigerian’s life matters.

“Are you prepared to go to arms to save the life of every
Nigerian? The time is now,” he said.

At the event, law students of the University of Abuja
conferred the honorary title of “senior advocate of the masses” on Falana in
recognition of his decades-long commitment to justice and public interest
litigation.