By Pius Awunah
The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Mr.Nyesom Wike and some officials of the FCT Authority (FCTA) on Tuesday,November 11,2025,clashed with a soldier in Gaduwa,Abuja over access to a land.
A video of the altercation showed Wike accusing the officer of illegally taking possession of a parcel of land.
The visibly angry minister questioned why the military was laying claim to the property simply because it was 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 said.
The officer, dressed in military camouflage, interrupted the minister, insisting that the acquisition was lawful and that he had acted with integrity.
“I am an officer with integrity. Everything was acquired legally,” he replied.
Wike, angered by the interruption, ordered the officer to be quiet.
“I will not shut up,” the officer responded.
The exchange escalated as Wike retorted, “You are a very big fool. As of the time I graduated, you were still in primary school.”
“You will see if you will not leave here. Go and develop there and let me see,” Wike fired back as the confrontation grew more intense.
As of press time, neither the military nor the Federal Capital Territory Administration had issued an official statement on the incident.
Earlier,however,the media aide to the FCT Minister,Lere Olayinka, in a post on his official Facebook page, said, “Because he was told to stop building on a land he has no title document and building approval, former Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Awwal Zubairu Gambo, sent his armed military security details to attack men of the FCTA Department of Development Control.
“He also stationed armed military men to protect the illegal development, with the military men threatening to shoot anyone who interfered with them.
“Today, the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, visited the site after talking to the Chief of Defence Staff on the phone.”
