The Senior Special Assistant on Social Media to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, Lere Olayinka, has shed light on the circumstances surrounding the Minister’s confrontation with some soldiers.
Olayinka stated that a former Chief of Naval Staff was defrauded in a land transaction in Abuja and, rather than seeking assistance, resorted to using military force.
Speaking on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily on Wednesday, Olayinka clarified that the land in question was not allocated to the former Naval Chief but to a company that attempted to convert it for commercial use against its original purpose.
“That particular land was allocated to a company in 2007, Santos Estate Limited, for park and recreation. The company did not do anything on the land because that place is a road corridor — you don’t build there,” Olayinka said.
“Then, in 2022, the company wrote to the FCT Development Authority (FCTDA), seeking approval to convert the land’s purpose to commercial use. Probably in anticipation of the Minister’s approval, the company began partitioning the land originally meant for park and recreation and sold it to people, including the former Chief of Naval Staff.
“I want to say here that the former Chief of Naval Staff was scammed, and he has realised that he was scammed. Instead of coming forward to seek help, he resorted to using military might.”
Channels Television reported that the confrontation occurred on Tuesday between Wike, his entourage, and some soldiers over the disputed land in the Gaduwa district of Abuja.
“This is unprofessional. You cannot be threatening a minister like this,” one of Wike’s aides told the soldiers as the minister and his team attempted to access the site.
The minister, visibly displeased, questioned the military’s actions, stressing that no individual is above the law.
Wike challenged the legality of the land’s development, insisting that due process had not been observed.
“You have no document,” the FCT minister said during the confrontation, though the soldiers stood their ground, claiming they were acting under instructions.
“We cannot continue to act in impunity. We cannot continue this way. This country cannot go along this line.
“You cannot be higher than any government. You cannot be carrying a gun to intimidate anybody. I am not one of those that they can intimidate,” he said.
As of press time, the former Chief of Naval Staff had not commented on the issue, while soldiers at the scene maintained that he possessed the necessary documents to the land.
The military has also yet to release an official statement regarding the altercation between the FCT Minister and its personnel.