Buratai Flays Wike Over Clash With Naval Officer, Says Minister’s Conduct Threatens National Security

Former Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Tukur Yusuf Buratai (rtd.), has warned that the recent altercation between the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, and a naval officer in Abuja constitutes a serious threat to national security and undermines the authority of the Armed Forces.

Buratai, in a statement released on his verified Facebook page on Tuesday, described Wike’s outburst during the encounter as “reckless” and “detrimental to the command and control structure of the Nigerian military.”

The confrontation, which reportedly occurred on November 11 at Plot 1946, Gaduwa District, Abuja, was said to have arisen from a dispute over ownership and development rights to a parcel of land allegedly linked to a former Chief of Naval Staff.

Wike, who visited the site with officials of the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA), had ordered the stoppage of construction, describing it as an “illegal development.” The minister was confronted by a naval officer allegedly supervising the property, leading to a heated exchange.

In a viral video of the incident, Wike was seen questioning the officer’s authority to build on the land, insisting that “no one, not even the Chief of Naval Staff,” was above the law.

“You are in uniform and you’re telling me the Navy owns this land? Who gave you the right to build without approval? Even if you are the Chief of Naval Staff, the law must be respected,” Wike was heard saying.

However, Buratai said the minister’s tone and public rebuke of a uniformed officer amounted to “a direct affront to the nation’s security hierarchy.”

According to him, “A minister’s verbal assault on a military officer in uniform is not just misconduct—it is an act of indiscipline that strikes at the very foundation of our national security architecture.”

He continued: “Such behaviour undermines the Commander-in-Chief’s authority and erodes the morale of the men and women who defend this country.”

The former army chief urged President Bola Tinubu to treat the matter as a national security concern, warning that failure to act decisively could embolden further acts of civilian interference in military affairs.

“Barrister Nyesom Wike must tender an unreserved public apology to President Bola Tinubu, as Commander-in-Chief, to the Armed Forces of Nigeria, and to the officer involved,” Buratai said.

“The integrity of our Armed Forces demands nothing less. Our nation’s security must come first. This is not the time for politics of confrontation but for respect of constituted authority,” he added.

The Nigerian Navy has yet to officially comment on the incident, while the FCT Administration has maintained that all structures erected without due approval will be removed, regardless of ownership.