A coalition of retired military officers on Friday strongly condemned the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, over his confrontation with a young naval officer. The group described the minister’s conduct as demeaning, unacceptable, and a direct insult to the Armed Forces and the Commander in Chief. The incident, which was captured in a viral video, has continued to spark nationwide reactions, with many questioning the minister’s approach and tone.
Naija News reports that the coalition, made up of retired generals and senior officers from the Army, Navy, and Air Force, held a press briefing in Kaduna where they expressed deep dissatisfaction with Wike’s behaviour. They called on President Bola Tinubu to immediately sack or redeploy the minister, insisting that the confrontation was unbecoming of a public office holder.
Addressing journalists, a member of the coalition’s Board of Trustees, Col. Yusuf Ibrahim (retd.), said the video of the incident was shocking to many within the military community. He explained that Wike’s comment describing the officer as a fool was not only disrespectful to the officer involved, but to the entire Nigerian Armed Forces.
“We are taken aback that a public office holder could call an officer a fool on camera,” Ibrahim said. He added that senior officers, serving or retired, expect a higher level of composure and conflict management from individuals occupying high-ranking government positions.
Ibrahim criticised Wike for confronting the officer publicly instead of seeking dialogue with the Chief of Naval Staff regarding the disputed land issue that led to the standoff. According to him, the minister’s decision to address the matter in public showed a lack of respect for established military protocols.
“If Wike was responsible, should he not have engaged the Chief of Naval Staff privately rather than attempting to disgrace a very senior retired general? Who the hell is Wike?” he asked.
Ibrahim insisted that Wike must apologise to the Armed Forces, the young officer involved, and President Tinubu, stressing that his actions projected the government in a negative light.
Speaking further, another leader of the coalition, Dr. Awwal Abdullahi, who identified himself as a Deputy Veteran Commander, accused Wike of exhibiting a repeated pattern of hostility toward uniformed personnel. He claimed that the minister’s recent behaviour was only one example of what many security operatives, both serving and retired, had complained about.
Abdullahi noted that military personnel play a critical role in securing the nation and should not be subjected to public humiliation by political office holders. He warned that if the President fails to take decisive action, the veterans would embark on a large-scale protest that could continue indefinitely.
“If the President refuses to sack Wike, we will mobilise and occupy the Ministry of the FCT until he is removed,” he said. He emphasised that the coalition was fully united on the matter and that their demand was not driven by politics but by a commitment to protecting the dignity of the Nigerian military.
He further explained that the coalition represents the broader community of retired military personnel across the country, all of whom are deeply concerned about the minister’s conduct. According to him, removing Wike from office would not only restore confidence among security agencies but also strengthen the administration’s image and commitment to discipline and respect.
The coalition concluded by urging the government to act swiftly in order to prevent escalating tensions between military veterans and the Federal Capital Territory Administration.
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