A heated confrontation erupted on Tuesday between the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, and an unidentified military officer over an alleged land-grabbing incident in the Gaduwa District of Abuja.
A video of the altercation, which surfaced online and was obtained by journalists, captured the visibly enraged minister accusing the officer of unlawfully taking possession of a parcel of land purportedly linked to a former Chief of Naval Staff.
“Because you are an officer? Nobody does that. The man took land because he was the Chief of Naval Staff?” Wike was heard saying in the footage.
The officer, dressed in military camouflage, interjected during the exchange, insisting that the acquisition was legitimate.
“I am an officer with integrity. Everything was acquired legally,” he stated.
The minister, angered by the interruption, ordered the officer to remain silent.
“I will not shut up,” the officer shot back, prompting Wike to retort furiously, “You are a very big fool. As at the time I graduated, you were still in primary school.”
The confrontation reportedly intensified as Wike challenged the officer’s presence at the site, asserting that the disputed land fell under the jurisdiction of the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA).
“You will see if you will not leave here. Go and develop there and let me see,” Wike declared as the argument escalated.
As of press time, neither the Nigerian military nor the FCTA had issued an official statement regarding the incident.
Land disputes and illegal allocations have long been a source of tension in Abuja, where competing claims often involve high-ranking officials and military figures. Under Wike’s leadership, the FCTA has stepped up enforcement measures against unauthorised land acquisition, illegal developments, and encroachments on government-designated plots.
Since assuming office in August 2023, Wike has ordered several demolitions of structures deemed illegal, vowing to restore the Abuja Master Plan and end what he described as “the era of impunity in land administration.”
Observers say the latest confrontation underscores the deep-rooted challenges in managing Abuja’s rapidly expanding urban landscape and the growing friction between civilian authorities and security agencies over land ownership and development rights.
