FCT Police Refute Viral Claims of Assassination Attempt on Navy Officer Lt. Ahmed Yerima
The Federal Capital Territory Police Command has debunked viral claims suggesting that Nigerian Navy officer Lieutenant Ahmed Yerima narrowly escaped an assassination attempt in Abuja. The circulating accounts, which PulseNets learnt had been amplified across online platforms, were dismissed as unfounded and capable of stirring avoidable public anxiety.
According to versions obtained by multiple blogs and social media users, Yerima was allegedly pursued by unidentified men dressed in black and moving in two unmarked Hilux vehicles without registration numbers. The purported chase was said to have begun around 6:30 p.m. near the NIPCO filling station along the Kubwa Expressway before continuing through Gado Nasco Way, where the officer supposedly evaded the assailants through what was described as a “tactical manoeuvre.”
PulseNets learned that the rumour gained traction partly because it followed Yerima’s recent confrontation with the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, over a disputed land parcel in Gaduwa District—an incident that had already placed the naval officer in the national spotlight.
However, a statement released late Sunday by the FCT Police Public Relations Officer, SP Josephine Adeh, firmly refuted the claims, clarifying that no such attack occurred or was reported to the police.
In her words, “The attention of the FCT Police Command has been drawn to publications alleging an attempted assassination on Lt. Ahmed Yerima. The command wishes to state clearly that no such incident has been reported or recorded anywhere within the Federal Capital Territory.”
She urged residents to disregard the viral story, stressing the importance of verifying information before sharing it. Adeh added that the public should remain vigilant and immediately report suspicious movements to the nearest police formation to support ongoing security efforts across the FCT.
Lt. Yerima has remained a subject of public conversation since November 11, when footage widely shared online captured him preventing Minister Wike’s convoy from accessing a disputed property said to belong to former Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Zubairu Gambo (retd).
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In the video, Wike was seen in a heated confrontation with the naval officer, accusing the retired service chief of unauthorized construction and verbally lashing out, calling him a “fool” while challenging his authority at the location.
The exchange triggered nationwide reactions, with many Nigerians criticising the minister’s outburst and defending Yerima’s conduct during the land dispute.
