The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, and a group of military officers clashed on Tuesday over alleged land-grabbing at the Gaduwa District in Abuja.
A video obtained by our correspondent showed the visibly angry minister exchanging words with an unidentified officer at Plot 1946, Buffer Transit, Southern Parkway, a site the FCT Administration said belonged to retired Vice Admiral Gambo.
In the footage, Wike was seen accusing the officer of illegally taking possession of the parcel of land, questioning why the military was laying claim to the property simply because it was linked to a former Chief of Naval Staff.
“Because you are an officer? Nobody does that. The man took land because he was the Chief of Naval Staff?” Wike queried.
The officer in military camouflage who interrupted the minister, insisted that the acquisition was legitimate.
“I am an officer with integrity. Everything was acquired legally,” he said.
Wike, angered by the interjection, ordered him to be quiet, but the officer fired back, saying, “I will not shut up.”
Wike retorted, “You are a very big fool. As of the time I graduated, you were still in primary school.”
The officer maintained his stance, insisting that he was deployed to the site on official orders.
“You will see if you will not leave here. Go and develop there and let me see,” Wike warned as the standoff intensified.
The confrontation began when Wike and senior officials of the FCT Administration arrived at the site to stop an ongoing development the ministry described as illegal.
Armed military personnel could be seen blocking the entrance to the plot with a truck, preventing bulldozers from the Department of Development Control from accessing the site for demolition.
The officers allegedly shoved the minister aside, declaring that they were acting on superior instructions.
Wike, who eventually turned back after making and receiving several calls, vowed that the illegal construction would not continue.
Speaking to journalists after the incident, the minister accused the retired naval officer of attempting to use his status to intimidate government officials.
“I don’t understand how somebody who attained that position and said that he has a problem cannot approach my office to say, look, this is what is going on.
“But simply because he’s a military man, he could use that to intimidate Nigerians. I’m not one of those kind of persons that will succumb to blackmail or intimidation,” Wike said.
He added that the officers on-site failed to produce valid documents authorising the development.
“You can imagine where you cannot even prove the documents. And the Director of Development Control said, look, I was here. I said bring the documents, you don’t have the documents. Bring the approval for building, you don’t have it. And how can we continue to allow lawlessness to prevail in this country?,” he quiery
Wike further questioned what ordinary citizens without military backing were expected to do when faced with such situations.
“What about those who don’t have the military? What about those who don’t have security? It has gotten to a level where, when government officials are carrying out their job, you go and bring security to intimidate them. And this government official — I will not accept that,” he said.
The minister disclosed that he had already spoken with the Chief of Defence Staff and the Chief of Naval Staff about the incident.
Wike said, “I’ve spoken to the Chief of Defence Staff and I’ve spoken to the Chief of Naval Staff and they have assured me that they have to resolve the matter. We’re not coming here to have a shootout with anybody or to cause chaos.
“But what I can say, I would not allow it to happen. The way we have carried out our jobs in other areas is the same way it will be done here. He will not carry out this illegal development on land simply because he was a former Chief of Naval Staff. I would not allow that.”
Land disputes and illegal allocations have been a recurring problem in the Federal Capital Territory. The FCT Administration, under Wike, has intensified efforts to curb unauthorised developments and restore the Abuja Master Plan through demolitions and enforcement drives.
The official social media page of the Defence Headquarters (DHQ), 𝕏 to be precise, has been attacked by suspected hackers.
Naija News reports that the DHQ confirmed the development in a statement made public on Saturday, August 15, by the Director of Defence Information, Maj. General Samaila Uba.
He said the body has hence treated the incident as a cybersecurity matter, with technical measures activated to secure the account.
“The Defence Headquarters wishes to inform members of the public, the media and all stakeholders that it has detected an attempted unauthorised compromise of its official X (formerly Twitter) account.
“The incident is currently being treated as a cybersecurity matter, and appropriate technical measures have been activated to secure the account and prevent further unauthorised access,” the statement noted.
The DHQ urged members of the public to disregard any publication from the account at the moment while ensuring that efforts were ongoing to fully restore control of the official account.
“The Defence Headquarters assures the public that efforts are ongoing to fully restore control of the official account.
“Consequently, members of the public are advised to disregard any suspicious, unauthorised or misleading content that may be posted from the account during this period,” he said.
Uba stressed the DHQ’s committment to maintaining high standards of information security and ensuring that Nigerians continued to receive accurate, timely and credible information on the activities and operations of the Armed Forces of Nigeria.
“We appreciate the understanding and vigilance of the public and will provide further updates as necessary,” he said.
He further urged Nigerians to henceforth check its verified accounts on other platforms, including Facebook under the name “Defence Headquarters Nigeria,” Instagram at @defenceheadquarters and its WhatsApp Channel, Defence Headquarters Nigeria for reliable information.
At least seven workers were killed and 13 injured following a landslide that sent water and debris gushing into a tunnel under construction in north India, officials said Friday.
The incident occurred late Thursday in the Himalayan state of Uttarakhand, where workers were constructing a tunnel for a state-run hydropower project.
At least three workers are still missing, while 19 were rescued from the Tehri Hydro Development Corporation site, the State Disaster Management Authority said in a statement.
Videos shared by local authorities showed rescue workers equipped with head-mounted torches using makeshift rafts to reach the flooded section of the tunnel.
Uttarakhand has been battered by heavy monsoon rains in recent days.
Accidents on large construction sites are common in India, but ecologists say excessive development projects have led to more disasters in the fragile Himalayan areas.
Last month, 20 people working in a tunnel for another state-run hydroelectric project were killed in the remote northeastern state of Sikkim.
In 2023, 41 workers were rescued after being trapped for 17 days inside a tunnel that collapsed in Uttarakhand.
Hundreds of people have been killed in floods and landslides across the country since the start of the annual monsoon season in June.
Experts say climate change, coupled with poorly planned development, is increasing the frequency, severity, and impact of the disasters.
The Radio, Television, Theatre and Arts Workers Union has honoured the Director-General of the Department of State Services, Mr Oluwatosin Ajayi, with the ‘Golden Era Pillar of Critical and Strategic Intelligence for National Development Award’, as part of activities marking its 50th anniversary
RATTAWU conferred the award on Ajayi on Thursday at his office, when the National President of the group, Emeka Kalu, led members to a media/security-critical engagement and strategic partnership meeting for national development in Abuja.
Kalu praised the appointment of Ajayi in 2024 by President Bola Tinubu, describing it as putting “a round peg in a round hole.”
He added that the award was an initiative of the union designed to recognise individuals and institutions that had made outstanding contributions to national development, security, democracy, culture and the growth of Nigeria.
He said, “Your appointment by Mr President demonstrates the importance of placing capable Nigerians with integrity and professional competence in strategic positions of national responsibility.
“The role of the DSS in protecting Nigeria’s national interests, gathering critical intelligence and supporting national security cannot be overemphasised.
“Particularly now that this country is confronted with complex security and emerging technological challenges, appointments like yours are the best ever done by Mr President.
“That is why this union decided to honour you with the Golden Era Pillar of Critical and Strategic Intelligence for National Development Award.”
Responding, the DSS Director-General, Oluwatosin Ajayi, expressed appreciation to the leadership of RATTAWU for the honour.
Ajayi described the recognition as a significant gesture that would further encourage him and the service to remain committed to their responsibilities to the nation.
