{REJOINDER} WIKE VS NAVAL OFFICERS: Let’s drop the pretence
*The naval officer didn’t challenge authority
By Idris M. Abdullahi
What exactly was Wike inspecting? A private property legally belonging to senior military officers not public land, not a government-acquired site. So where’s the “land dispute”?
Let’s stop twisting this matter.
Let’s call a spade what it is not a golden spoon.
What happened wasn’t “a land dispute.” It was an abuse of power, arrogance, and ignorance of boundaries.
The land in question is privately owned by senior military officers not government land, not a naval base, not an abandoned property. So, when the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, stormed there with cameras and convoy to “inspect,” he was acting outside the law.
Now let’s educate the noise-makers:
The Land Use Act says land is vested in the Governor or Minister in trust not as personal property. Holding land in trust means you manage, not seize. You follow due process, not intimidation.
The right to property is guaranteed under the Nigerian Constitution. Whether owned by a civilian or a soldier, that right is protected. A Minister has no authority to invade private land without notice, court order, or proper legal backing.
The Naval officer’s duty in that moment was crystal clear protect the property, protect himself, and maintain order. That’s what he’s trained to do. The first line in military doctrine is: “Defend your post, defend your life.”
What did he do wrong? He didn’t shoot, didn’t threaten, didn’t assault. He only stood his ground respectfully but firmly against intimidation. That’s discipline, not insubordination.
For those shouting “the military has no business in land issues,” here’s a reminder the Minister too has no business in private properties without lawful notice. Power doesn’t mean impunity.
Let’s be honest: if the uniformed man had been a politician’s aide or police orderly, Wike would have barked orders and gotten obedience. But military men don’t answer to political drama they answer to command, control, and law.
*What happened was a classic case of a politician mistaking fear for authority, and an officer reminding him that law still has limits.*
The first rule in military training before shooting, saluting, or strategy is self-protection and defense of assigned property. Every officer is drilled to defend himself and the assets in his custody. That’s what the naval officer did , protect a military property, not contest ownership of land.
Now, people keep shouting Land Use Act as if it’s a divine commandment. Yes, the Act says land is held by the Governor (or Minister, in FCT) in trust for the people. But even that Act does not authorize harassment or forceful entry into a secured or occupied property whether it belongs to civilians, corporations, or senior military personnel.
What exactly was Wike inspecting?
A private property legally belonging to senior military officers not public land, not a government-acquired site. So where’s the “land dispute”? If someone came to your house with bulldozers claiming “inspection,” wouldn’t you protect yourself? Now imagine a trained officer faced with that same threat instinct and training kick in.
Let’s be real:
The officer didn’t challenge authority , he defended property. He didn’t abuse power, he followed the first law of self-preservation.
He didn’t break the law, he enforced restraint against intrusion.
If the Minister had an issue with that land, there are civil channels like court orders, administrative summons, or inter-agency correspondence, not convoy of intimidation.
The uniform doesn’t make an officer lawless; it reminds him of discipline and duty. That officer displayed both.
So, before anyone quotes the Land Use Act out of context, understand that the law doesn’t abolish self-protection, and the uniform doesn’t erase ownership rights.
Respect goes both ways you don’t earn it by bulldozing into people’s fences , spitting on the face of officers calling them names
God sha knows why I left the navy early !!
©️Idris M. Abdullahi
