The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has said he will not sit idly by while officials of the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) are attacked or obstructed from carrying out their lawful duties.
The minister was reacting to a confrontation he had earlier in the week with a naval officer over a disputed plot of land in the Gaduwa District of Abuja. The altercation, which occurred on Tuesday, reportedly involved some soldiers guarding the property allegedly linked to a former Chief of Naval Staff.
Speaking to journalists in Abuja on Thursday, Wike said the situation arose after officials of the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA) went to the site to stop an unauthorized construction and were allegedly assaulted by armed naval personnel stationed there.
“How can I sit as a minister when government officials are being attacked and beaten up, officials at the level of directors? And I’ll just sit in my office doing what?” Wike asked.
“I will not allow that to happen under my watch. I will not sit and watch things go wrong.”
According to reports, FCTA officials had visited the Gaduwa site to enforce a stop-work order on what they described as an illegal development. The property in question was said to be under government acquisition and not approved for private construction.
When the enforcement team arrived, they were allegedly resisted by uniformed naval officers guarding the site. The soldiers reportedly prevented them from carrying out their duties, leading to a heated argument that soon drew the attention of the minister, who was on an inspection tour in the area.
Eyewitnesses said Wike confronted the officers, demanding to know why active-duty soldiers were deployed to protect a private property under investigation. The situation briefly escalated before the minister’s security aides and senior officials intervened to restore order.
In his remarks to reporters, Wike condemned what he described as an abuse of military authority and warned that no one, no matter how highly placed, is above the law.
“The land belongs to the Federal Capital Territory. The FCDA is the rightful custodian of Abuja land matters. No individual, retired or serving, has the right to deploy soldiers to stop lawful enforcement actions,” the minister said.
“This is not a military zone. This is a civil territory under democratic governance. Nobody can intimidate our staff while carrying out their duties.”
Wike said it was shocking that serving military officers were being used to protect private property, insisting that such actions send the wrong message about respect for civil authority.
“We must draw a line between military duty and personal interest,” he added. “You cannot use your former office to intimidate civil servants who are enforcing the law.”
The FCT minister defended his decision to personally intervene, saying leadership requires presence and courage, not detachment.
He explained that as minister, he bears direct responsibility for maintaining law and order within the nation’s capital and ensuring that public officials can perform their duties safely.
“When people are being attacked for doing their job, I cannot just stay in my office pretending not to see. I was elected and appointed to serve, not to sit idle,” Wike stated.
He further noted that it was not the first time that government enforcement teams had been obstructed by individuals claiming connections to powerful figures.
“We have seen cases where people drop big names or display fake allocation papers to stop our work. That era is gone. Abuja is not for the few; it belongs to every Nigerian,” he said.
Land allocation and illegal development have long been sources of tension in Abuja. Over the years, the FCTA and FCDA have battled encroachments, fake land titles, and unauthorized construction on government-acquired plots.
Many of these disputes involve politically exposed persons or retired security officers who claim ownership of lands reserved for public use. The current FCT administration, under Wike, has intensified efforts to restore order in land management, demolishing illegal structures and revoking undeveloped plots that violate city plans.
Since assuming office in August 2023, Wike has launched several enforcement drives targeting unapproved estates and encroachments in areas such as Gwarinpa, Guzape, Jabi, and Asokoro. His direct and sometimes confrontational approach has drawn both praise and criticism, with some seeing him as a bold reformer and others accusing him of being too aggressive.
However, Wike insists that the enforcement of Abuja’s master plan is essential to maintaining the city’s status as a planned and orderly capital.
“We cannot have a capital city where people do whatever they like. Rules must be followed. If we allow lawlessness, Abuja will become like any other chaotic city,” he said.
Reactions to the latest confrontation have been mixed. Some residents and civil servants praised the minister for personally standing up for government officials who were allegedly attacked.
Mr. Samuel Adeyemi, a civil rights advocate, said Wike’s action demonstrated leadership.
“Many ministers would have sent someone else, but he showed up and defended his team. That’s the kind of leadership we need,” he said.
Others, however, advised the minister to exercise caution and allow security agencies to handle such disputes. A retired senior officer, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said that while Wike’s concerns were valid, protocol and security coordination should always be maintained.
“The military and civil authorities must cooperate. These issues can be resolved through dialogue without confrontation,” he said.
Concluding his remarks, Wike warned that his administration would continue to take firm action against illegal developments and land racketeering in the FCT.
“Anyone who thinks they can use power or influence to grab land should have a rethink. We are here to serve the public, not to protect private greed,” he said.
He reaffirmed his commitment to enforcing Abuja’s urban development laws, saying, “As long as I am minister, I will not sit back and watch things go wrong.”
