A coalition of retired military officers on Friday strongly criticized the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, for his confrontation with a young naval officer, describing his actions as “demeaning,” “unacceptable,” and “a direct insult to the Armed Forces and the Commander-in-Chief.”
According to Naija News, the group—made up of retired generals and senior officers from the Army, Navy, and Air Force—addressed journalists in Kaduna, urging President Bola Tinubu to “immediately sack or redeploy” the minister following the incident.
Delivering the coalition’s statement, Col. Yusuf Ibrahim (retd.), a member of its Board of Trustees, said the viral video of the confrontation was deeply embarrassing, particularly Wike’s remark calling the officer a fool.
“We are shocked that a public office holder could call an officer ‘a fool’ on camera,” Ibrahim said. He faulted Wike for confronting the officer directly instead of engaging the Chief of Naval Staff over the disputed land.
“If Wike was responsible, shouldn’t he have engaged the Chief of Naval Staff privately rather than trying to disgrace a very senior retired general? Who the hell is Wike?” he asked.
Ibrahim further demanded that Wike apologize to the Armed Forces, the officer involved, and President Tinubu.
‘A Pattern of Hostility’ — Coalition Alleges
Backing Ibrahim’s stance, Dr. Awwal Abdullahi, who identified himself as a Deputy Veteran Commander, accused Wike of repeatedly displaying hostility toward military personnel.
He said the minister’s conduct had become a growing concern among retired security operatives.
Abdullahi warned that if the President failed to act, the veterans would embark on sustained protests. “If the President refuses to sack Wike, we will mobilize and occupy the Ministry of FCT until he is removed,” he declared.
