Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has dismissed reports of a clash with the Nigerian military, stating, “I have respect for the military. I will continue to respect them.”
Speaking on Thursday about the recent dispute involving FCTA officials and military personnel, Wike clarified that the issue was with a private individual who violated land laws, not with the institution of the military.
He urged Nigerians to obey the laws, adding that the government would not tolerate any attempt to violate land use regulations or obstruct officials from performing their lawful duties.
The minister stated that his actions had been guided strictly by the law and not by sentiment or emotion.
“You are told to obey legal orders, not orders that are illegal. So if you are a security aide and your superior orders you to shoot someone, do you think you will not be charged with murder because your superior gave the order?
“People have problems. We have tried to resolve them, but don’t use intimidation; don’t try to weaken the government. You cannot weaken the government. If we allow this now, others will follow suit. And then they will say, when it happened to this person and that, what did you do?
“So, gentlemen, I have respect for the military. I will continue to respect them. So anybody trying to create a collision, to say, ‘oh, he is having a problem with the military,’ it is not correct. I don’t have a problem with the military, and I will not have a problem,” he said.
According to the minister, if there was a problem with the military, he knew where to go.
“If I don’t go to the Chief of Defence Staff, I will go to the Chief of Army Staff, or Chief of Naval Staff, or Air Force, or the Chief of Defence Intelligence, and I will go to the president.
“But in this case, it had to do with a private individual. So how many people would I run to? If you have a problem with us, will I run to the president? Who does that?
“So all I would be telling the president every day is, ‘this individual is having a problem with us, that individual is having a problem with us.’ So I don’t have a problem with the military,” he said.
Wike, however, said the issue had been blown out of proportion by those bent on portraying him as being at loggerheads with the military.
He maintained that he only intervened after top officials of the FCTA were assaulted while carrying out their official duties, saying that as a minister, he would not sit in his office while those working with him were being attacked.
The minister recalled that when the Police had a similar issue, he personally visited the site where buildings were being constructed under a powerline, and the Inspector-General of Police ensured the construction was stopped.
He said the FCT Administration’s duty is to protect the integrity of Abuja’s master plan and ensure that all developments conform with approved land use provisions.
Wike explained that those who obtained land for agricultural purposes but later converted it to residential estates or commercial ventures without approval would be made to face the law.
“Government cannot function in a lawless society. If we allow one person to violate the rules because of who he is, others will follow. That is how impunity begins. We must learn to obey the law irrespective of who is involved,” he said.
The minister stressed that the FCTA had in the past engaged the military hierarchy on similar matters involving land ownership disputes and that such engagements had always been handled with mutual respect and understanding.
“Whenever there is a matter that concerns the military, I know who to talk to: the Chief of Defence Staff, the Service Chiefs, or even the President. We resolve issues institutionally, not through confrontation,” he said.
He also faulted media reports that suggested his comments or actions were targeted at security agencies, urging journalists to verify information and avoid sensationalism.
“Report us accurately. Do investigative journalism. Don’t twist facts or take statements out of context,” he said.
Recalling instances during his tenure as Rivers State governor when he personally intervened to prevent security operatives from violating citizens’ rights, Wike said his current actions were consistent with his belief in lawful governance.
He added that those accusing him of high-handedness simply misunderstood his resolve to do what is right.
The minister said leadership often requires taking tough decisions that may not please everyone.
“You can’t make everybody happy, even in your own house. But once your conscience is clear that you are doing the right thing, you stand by it,” he said.
Wike reaffirmed his commitment to President Bola Tinubu’s vision of restoring order and sanity to the nation’s capital, promising that enforcement against illegal developments, land grabbing, and violations of the Abuja master plan would continue without compromise.
“As long as I remain FCT minister, the law will take its course. Abuja must reflect the image of Nigeria, disciplined, planned, and lawful,” Wike said.
