Abuja — Former Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Tukur Yusuf Buratai (rtd), has called on the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Barrister Nyesom Wike, to publicly apologise to the Nigerian military, and particularly to Lieutenant A.M. Yerima, the naval officer involved in the confrontation in Abuja.
Buratai, in a statement on Tuesday, described Wike’s conduct during the November 11, 2025 incident as a serious breach of decorum and a threat to national security.
He said the minister’s public altercation with a uniformed officer “transcends mere misconduct,” warning that it could erode discipline within the armed forces and undermine the authority of the Commander-in-Chief, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
“His public disparagement of a uniformed officer of the Nigerian Armed Forces represents a palpable threat to national security and institutional integrity,” Buratai said.
“A minister’s verbal assault on a military officer in uniform is an act of profound indiscipline that strikes at the core of our nation’s command and control structure. It deliberately undermines the chain of command, disrespects the authority of the Commander-in-Chief, and grievously wounds the morale of every individual who serves under the Nigerian flag.”
The former Army Chief noted that such actions “erode the very foundation of discipline upon which national security stands,” adding that Wike’s behaviour “cannot be dismissed as political theatre.”
“It is a reckless endangerment of national order,” Buratai continued. “This action by Wike is clearly an indication of undermining the Federal Government’s authority.”
He urged the FCT Minister to tender “an immediate and unequivocal public apology” to President Tinubu as Commander-in-Chief, the entire Armed Forces of Nigeria, and Lieutenant Yerima, “whose honour was violated.”
Meanwhile, Wike’s confrontation with the naval officer at a construction site in the Gaduwa District of Abuja has drawn widespread condemnation from various quarters, including defence analysts, civil society groups, and social commentators.
Observers have described the minister’s remarks as “reckless and unbecoming of a public official,” warning that such behaviour could “weaken the principles of hierarchy and respect” that sustain Nigeria’s security institutions.
A senior defence analyst in Abuja told reporters that, “The minister’s verbal assault on a uniformed officer strikes at the core of the national command and control structure. It undermines discipline and sets a dangerous precedent.”
Commentators have also called for decisive action from the Presidency to restore harmony between civilian authorities and the armed forces.
“Barrister Nyesom Wike must issue an immediate apology to the Commander-in-Chief and the Armed Forces. The integrity of our military institutions must be upheld at all times,” one commentator said.
Security experts further advised government officials to exercise restraint and respect in their dealings with military personnel, stressing that the preservation of discipline within the armed forces remains essential to national stability.
