The Federal Government has assured that all military personnel performing lawful duties will be fully protected. This assurance came from Minister of Defence, Mohammed Badaru, during a press briefing in Abuja on Wednesday, ahead of the 2026 Armed Forces Remembrance Day.

Badaru’s statement followed Tuesday’s confrontation between Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, and some military officers reportedly acting under the directive of a former Chief of Naval Staff.

“Well, at the Ministry and within the Armed Forces, we will always protect our officers on lawful duty,” NAN quoted the minister as saying. “We are looking into the matter, and we assure that any officer performing their duty will be adequately protected. We will not allow any harm to come to them as long as they are executing their responsibilities diligently.”

Videos that surfaced online on Tuesday showed Wike intervening in the heated standoff, separating his security detail from the soldiers and seeking clarification about the approval for the disputed land. A leading officer insisted that they were not intimidating anyone and that the landowner had submitted all necessary documents.

The incident has since generated widespread attention on social media, with many Nigerians questioning the military’s role in the confrontation and seeking clarity on the ownership of the contested land.