Wike vs AM Yerima: List of Retired Generals Who Tackled Tinubu's Minister
- Nyesom Wike, the FCT Minister, has been making headlines over his confrontation with some naval officers in Abuja on Tuesday, November 11
- Some retired generals, including the former COAS and CDS, have condemned this development
- Wike was confronted by some naval officers when he visited a land which was said to belong to the former Chief of Naval Staff
Nyesom Wike, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), had a confrontation with some naval officers in Abuja on Tuesday, November 11. The argument was about the legality of a land reportedly belonging to a former chief of naval staff.
The confrontation, which happened on Tuesday, November 11, saw the minister being stopped from accessing the land, which was reportedly claimed by the former chief of naval staff, Vice Admiral Awwal Zubairu Gambo.
Source: UGC
Wike confronts Yerima
During the row, Wike dared Vice Admiral Gambo's (retd.) loyalist, Lt. Yerima, to shoot. Addressing journalists immediately after the tense standoff, Wike condemned the retired officer’s actions, describing them as acts of lawlessness on the part of the Nigerian military.
The minister questioned the use of military personnel to protect what he described as a clear case of illegal development and land grabbing and vowed that he would not allow such to continue.
However, some retired generals, including the former chief of army staff and former chief of defence staff, have stepped into the matter and blamed the minister for his outburst against the naval officers.
Below is the list of the former generals:
Rtd Major General Tukur Buratai
Wike was said to have called the officer unprintable names. Addressing this, former chief of army staff, Rtd Major General Tukur Buratai, noted that it "can not be dismissed as political theatre" and strongly condemned the minister's action.
In a Facebook post, hours after the incident, the former army boss noted that the "public disparagement of a uniformed officer of the Nigerian Armed Forces" by the minister went beyond ordinary misconduct.
Buratai described Wike's action as a potential threat to the integrity of the institution and national security. He then asked the minister to tender a public apology to President Bola Tinubu, the Nigerian armed forces and Yerima.
General Lucky Irabor (retd.)
The former Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General Lucky Irabor (retd.) was one of the prominent retired generals who condemned the FCT Minister's altercation with the naval officer, Yerima.
According to Irabor, Wike insulted President Tinubu by using an unprintable statement against a uniformed officer. He urged Nigerians to always respect uniformed men, irrespective of the situation. He stressed that the military uniform and that of other security agencies are symbols of authority.
Source: Twitter
Military veterans condemn Wike
A coalition of Nigerian military veterans, including retired generals, has condemned the FCT following a recent confrontation with a naval officer during an enforcement visit to disputed land in Abuja.
In a statement, the spokesperson for the Coalition of Military Veterans, Abiodun Durowaiye-Herberts, criticised Wike for verbally insulting the officer during the encounter.
Defence minister speaks on Wike vs military
Legit.ng earlier reported that President Bola Tinubu's Minister of Defence, Mohammed Badaru, has reacted to the fallout between his FCT counterpart, Nyesom Wike, and a naval officer, A. M. Yerima.
Wike and the naval officer, identified as A. M. Yerima, had a confrontation over a piece of land being claimed by the former Chief of Naval Staff.
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Source: Legit.ng
