Wike Mentions What Naval Officer Should Have Done: “I Represent the President"

• FCT Minister Nyesom Wike has explained what he expected the naval officer who confronted him during his inspection of a land in Abuja
• The minister expressed disappointment over the deployment of military personnel on personal and civil matters and wondered why the law should only be applied to people not connected
• However, Wike's comment has started generating reactions from some Nigerians who expressed dissenting views on the matter

Nyesom Wike, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), has fired back at his critics over his confrontation with a naval officer, Lt. A.M. Yarima, during his inspection of a land belonging to a former chief of naval staff, Awwal Gambo.

Wike, while addressing a press conference in Abuja on Thursday, November 13, explained that many are blaming him and overlooking the illegal deployment of the military in civil and private matters.

The minister disclosed he was representing the president and should have been respected by the officer rather than the confrontation. He then questioned why a law can affect an ordinary man, and such a law would be restricted because the affected person has a connection with an institution, such as the military.

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Nigerians react as Wike speaks on confrontation

However, Wike's response has started generating reactions from some concerned Nigerians. Below are some of their reactions:

Bruce wrote:

"Do you respect the average Nigerian? Respect is earned, & not coerced. Virtually all the videos i have seen of you with ordinary citizens on site are nothing to write home about; in all honesty, demeaning, condescending, etc."

King Davies commented:

"Wike sounds like a broken record. His ego was punctured by a young Naval officer. You don’t force respect, you earn it. Every single Army officer will now see Wike as an enemy."

Eyo Etim said:

"The problem is that Wike doesn’t seem to understand how the military works, and he doesn’t understand why he shouldn’t be able to control them, because I don’t understand why he thinks that officer will undermine the clear directives of his commander, because Wike, a Minister, has given a counter order. With all these mics he’s gathered before him, just explain what he could have avoided by simply engaging the military hierarchy, instead of trying to show he is a super minister. You can add more mics, but clearly, you caused all these embarrassments on yourself."

Read also

What naval officer who confronted Wike told his men after saga with Tinubu's minister emerges

Omashola Sagay reacted:

"What is even more disheartening is the allegation that the serving naval officer was acting under the directive of a former senior naval officer. Such conduct, if proven, constitutes a grave abuse of military privilege and is wholly unacceptable in a democratic society governed by the rule of law."

See the video of the minister here:

Abuja land saga: Buratai tackles Wike

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 the 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