Abuja, Nigeria
Nigeria’s Ministry of Defence has launched an investigation into a recent public confrontation between the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, and a naval officer concerning a disputed piece of land in Abuja.
Defence Minister Mohammed Badaru confirmed the investigation on Wednesday, stating that the military leadership would not abandon any personnel carrying out “lawful duties.”
“We are looking into this issue, and we assure all that any officer on lawful duty will be highly protected,” Mr. Badaru said at a press briefing to announce activities for the 2026 Armed Forces Remembrance Day.
Confrontation Details
The confrontation, which occurred on Tuesday, involved Minister Wike visiting the site and publicly accusing the military of illegally occupying the land.
The dispute centres on a piece of land allegedly belonging to a former Chief of Naval Staff, retired Vice Admiral Zubairu Gambo. A video of the incident reportedly showed an “enraged” Mr. Wike questioning the presence of armed personnel at the location, engaging with a naval officer identified as A. M. Yerima.
The Defence Minister stressed that the Armed Forces “will not allow anything to happen” to the officer “so long as he is doing his job, and he is doing his job very well.”
New Security and Veteran Initiatives
Beyond the land dispute, the Defence Minister unveiled several new national security initiatives and measures to boost veteran welfare.
Security Programmes:
- Reclaiming the Ungoverned Space Programme (RUSEB-P): A new initiative to deploy “agile military veterans” to help secure and rehabilitate areas previously held by terrorist groups. The program aims to integrate veterans into local security and economic activities, such as farming and mining, to prevent the resurgence of terrorism and revitalise local economies.
- Operational Success: Mr. Badaru stated that under the current administration, troops have neutralised over 13,000 terrorists and criminals, arrested over 17,000 suspects, and rescued nearly 10,000 hostages nationwide. He also noted that over 100,000 Boko Haram/ISWAP fighters and their families have surrendered.
Veteran Welfare:
- New Support Systems: The ministry is setting up a Veterans’ Databank and Call Centre.
- Civil War Pensions: A significant update saw 2,141 Civil War veterans who were previously ineligible for pension benefits being enrolled.
- Health Coverage: The Defence Health Maintenance Limited now covers more than 400,000 enrollees, including 205,000 veterans and their families.
- Public Gratitude: The Minister also launched the “Thank A Soldier” QR Code, allowing Nigerians globally to send personalised messages of appreciation to troops on the frontlines.
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