FCT Minister Nyesom Wike on Thursday defended his confrontation with Naval officer Lieutenant A.M. Yerima over a disputed plot of land allegedly belonging to former Chief of Naval Staff, retired Vice Admiral Awwal Zubairu Gambo.
Wike faulted Gambo for deploying military personnel to obstruct lawful enforcement activities by FCT officials and recalled how he had amicably resolved similar land issues involving former President Olusegun Obasanjo and ex-Army Chief, T.Y. Danjuma.
He spoke while briefing journalists ahead of the FCT Executive Council meeting, condemning what he described as Gambo’s impunity in deploying serving officers to guard a private property.
Responding to criticism over his visit to the site, Wike said he could not remain idle while public officers were being assaulted.
“How can I sit as a minister when government officials are being attacked and beaten up, officials at the level of directors? And I’ll just sit in my office doing what?
“Many influential Nigerians have had similar land issues. Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, a former head of state and president, will simply call me. He’ll say, ‘Minister, I have a problem on this land, can you help?’ and I’ll solve it.
“That is a former head of state, a former president, who has the courtesy to call the minister. General T.Y. Danjuma will do the same. They never sent soldiers to attack anybody. They just call,” Wike said.
The minister also criticised the naval officer for allegedly referring to police officers on the scene as ‘bloody police.’
“Nobody talks like that. A security man saying, ‘Bloody police.’ You say you’re a commissioned officer, to God be the glory, but these same government officials you’re beating [are]the ones who made you what you are,” he stated
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