Wike vs Military Saga: How Ex-Naval Chief Was Scammed

• FCT Minister Nyesom Wike's recent outburst against a naval officer has continued to make headlines since Tuesday evening, November 11
• Lere Olayinka, the media aide to the minister, in an interview on Wednesday morning, November 13, provided more clarity on the matter
• According to Olayinka, the former Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Awwal Gambo (retd), was scammed because the land in question was not for a residential area

Lere Olayinka, the senior special assistant on publicity and communications to Nyesom Wike, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), has defended the action of the latter during his confrontation with a naval officer in Abuja on Tuesday, November 11.

Read also

Wike-Yerima clash: “Why Naval officer breached law”: SAN explains

Olayinka explained that the confrontation between the minister and the military officer was a result of a land scam, which misled a former naval chief, who reportedly claimed ownership of the disputed land.

Who owned land Wike dragged Naval officer on

While appearing on Channels Television's Sunrise Daily programme on Wednesday morning, November 12, the minister's aide explained that the plot of land under dispute was first allocated in 2007 for park and recreation purposes, and was never for commercial or residential development.

The company that the land was first allocated to, Santos Estate Limited, did not do anything on the land because the place was designed to be a parkway, and it was not meant to have a physical structure like a residential area, according to Olayinka.

He went on to explain that in 2022, the company applied for a change of land use from park to commercial at the FCT Administration and the request was not approved. Adding that Wike was not even the minister then.

Read also

"Common sense should tell you": Man shares what gave military officer morale to confront Wike

How company sell land to ex-Naval boss

Olayinka explained that despite the rejection by the FCT Administration, the company went on to partition the land and sold some parts of it to private individuals, and one of them was Vice Admiral Awwal Gambo (retd), the former Chief of Naval Staff.

The minister's aide then faulted the response of the retired naval officer, accusing him of using military influence to claim ownership of the land. He insisted that Gambo was scammed and has realised it, saying that rather than him seeking help, he resorted to military might.

He further explained that the land under dispute was around the Mabushi area of the FCT and that it was designated for corporate and public buildings and not private residences. According to the minister's aide, the former chief of Naval Staff did not have any approved building plan or valid title for the land.

Read also

"Unruly and arrogant": Wike blasts gallant naval officer who confronted him in Abuja

Former COAS speaks on Wike's outburst

Legit.ng earlier reported that Tukur Buratai, a former chief of army staff, has raised concerns about FCT Minister Nyesom Wike's action against a military officer in uniform.

The former army boss, in his reaction, described the minister's outburst against the young officer as a disrespect to authority.

Buratai explained that Wike's action cannot be dismissed as a political theatre and rolled out the security implications and what the minister needed to do as remedies.

Source: Legit.ng