Calls for Dismissal as Rights Group Condemns FCT Minister’s Clash with Military Officer

Abuja, Nigeria

A prominent Nigerian civil society organisation, the Resource Centre for Human Rights and Civic Education (CHRICED), has strongly condemned the recent public confrontation between the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, and a uniformed naval officer.

In a press statement issued on Wednesday, CHRICED described the incident as a “national embarrassment” and a “dangerous affront to Nigeria’s democratic ethos,” demanding the immediate dismissal of the FCT Minister.

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Accusation of Impunity and Abuse of Power

The altercation, which occurred over a disputed piece of land in Abuja, was captured on widely circulated footage. CHRICED specifically condemned what it called the Minister’s “reckless display of arrogance, verbal abuse, and blatant disregard for the dignity of a serving military officer.”

• Undermining Institutions: The group argued that such conduct by a high-ranking public official is “unacceptable and deeply troubling,” reflecting a “disturbing pattern of impunity and abuse of power that undermines the rule of law and the morale of our armed forces.”
• Praise for Officer: CHRICED praised the officer involved, noting that he “demonstrated the very values of restraint and discipline that our leaders should emulate” by maintaining composure in the face of provocation.

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Demand for Presidential Action

CHRICED stated its alignment with concerns raised by a former Chief of Army Staff, who described the Minister’s behaviour as a “clear and present danger to national security.”

The human rights body is now urging President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to take decisive action by relieving Barrister Nyesom Wike of his ministerial duties.

“The President must demonstrate that his administration stands for discipline, respect for institutions, and the protection of Nigeria’s democratic values,” the statement read, signed by Executive Director Ibrahim Zikirullahi.

The organisation also called on the National Assembly, civil society, and all well-meaning Nigerians to speak out against the “abuse of power,” warning that “Silence in the face of such impunity is complicity.”