Buratai Warns Wike–Navy Clash A Threat To National Security

Former Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Tukur Yusuf Buratai (retd.), has described the recent confrontation between the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, and a Nigerian Navy officer in Abuja as “a clear and present danger to national security.”

He urged the Federal Government to take urgent corrective action to preserve military integrity and national stability.

In a statement posted on his verified Facebook page on Tuesday, Buratai condemned Wike’s conduct during the encounter, saying it “transcends mere misconduct” and “undermines the authority of the Commander-in-Chief as well as the integrity of the Armed Forces.”

The clash reportedly occurred at Plot 1946, Gaduwa District, Abuja, following a dispute over the ownership and development rights of a piece of land allegedly linked to a former Chief of Naval Staff.

Wike, accompanied by senior officials of the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA), had visited the site to stop what he described as an “illegal construction,” leading to a heated exchange with a naval officer allegedly overseeing the property.

In a viral video of the confrontation, the FCT minister was seen confronting the officer, declaring that no individual, including those in uniform, was above the law.

“Even if you are the Chief of Naval Staff, the law must be respected,” Wike said in the footage.

The officer, however, maintained that the land belonged to a former service chief and that the military was authorised to protect it.

Reacting to the incident, Buratai criticised the minister’s tone and public rebuke of the uniformed officer, calling it “a reckless act that strikes at the core of Nigeria’s command and control structure.”

According to him, “A minister’s verbal assault on a military officer in uniform is an act of profound indiscipline that strikes at the foundation of our national security apparatus. It is not political theatre, it is a reckless endangerment of national order.”

He further stated that Wike’s action amounted to disrespect for the Federal Government and the Commander-in-Chief, adding that it could demoralise serving officers.

“This action disrespects the Commander-in-Chief and wounds the morale of every officer serving under the Nigerian flag,” Buratai said.

The retired general, who served as Chief of Army Staff from 2015 to 2021, called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to treat the issue as a matter of national importance.

“Barrister Nyesom Wike must tender an immediate and unequivocal public apology to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the Armed Forces of Nigeria, and the officer whose honour was violated,” he declared.

“The integrity of our Armed Forces demands nothing less. Our national security must come first, it is time for decisive action, not politics of military bashing,” Buratai added.