Wike Acted Foolishly, Disrespected Tinubu in Clash with Naval Officer — Defence Minister Matawalle

Defence Minister Bello Matawalle has sharply criticised Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, over his public confrontation with a naval officer, Lieutenant Ahmed Yerima, describing the minister’s actions as “foolish and disrespectful to President Bola Tinubu.”

The clash, PulseNets learnt, occurred on Tuesday in Gaduwa District, Abuja, during a standoff over the ownership of a disputed parcel of land reportedly under the protection of naval personnel led by Lt. Yerima. The officers were said to be acting on directives from former Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Zubairu Gambo.

In an interview obtained by PulseNets from DCL Hausa on Wednesday, Matawalle expressed disappointment over Wike’s conduct, stating that the matter should have been handled administratively rather than through a public altercation.

According to the Defence Minister, “What happened between Minister Wike and the officer is unfortunate. The officer clearly explained that he was acting on lawful orders. Wike should not have engaged in an exchange of words; he ought to have channelled his complaint through the appropriate military hierarchy.”

PulseNets gathered that the minister further revealed Wike had already reached out to both the Chief of Defence Staff and the Chief of Naval Staff, who advised him to allow an internal investigation before taking further steps.

Speaking on the officer’s composure, Matawalle stressed that Lt. Yerima displayed discipline and respect, consistent with the ethics of military service.

He said, “The young officer did nothing wrong. His actions were in line with military rules — disciplined, loyal, and obedient to lawful instructions. In fact, his restraint and respectful tone during the encounter deserve commendation.”

Matawalle maintained that the naval officer “committed no offence under military law” and therefore should not face any disciplinary action. He cautioned that disrespecting a man in uniform equates to disrespecting the Commander-in-Chief.

“Wike should have exercised restraint. Any civilian or official who disrespects a soldier is indirectly disrespecting the President, who is the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces,” he told PulseNets.

The Defence Minister faulted Wike for failing to exercise patience despite being advised by top military authorities to allow the matter to be investigated.

“This is not about supporting the military against civilians,” Matawalle clarified. “But as a leader, Wike should have waited for the outcome of the inquiry. He contacted the Chief of Defence Staff, who advised patience, and the Chief of Naval Staff also promised an investigation. Still, he chose to go there and confront them.”

He further assured that the Defence Ministry would conduct a thorough probe to determine the rightful ownership of the contested land.

“Now that the Chief of Naval Staff has visited the site, we will ensure the investigation establishes who possesses the legitimate documents. If the land was revoked, there are official procedures to address that diplomatically,” he stated.

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Matawalle added that he personally reached out to Wike after the viral video of the confrontation surfaced online, advising him to have sought dialogue instead of confrontation.

“We have not received any formal complaint from Wike,” he said. “But I called him and advised that it would have been better to contact me first rather than confronting the officers in such a manner.”