Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike has reacted to the viral video of him in a heated argument with a military officer during an enforcement exercise in Abuja recently.

Wike in a statement by his media aide, Lere Olayinka said:

“The Land Departments and Development Control have been mandated to monitor illegal development and land grabbing. When this issue was brought to my attention, I directed that nothing should take place there since there were no legal documents or approvals. Unfortunately, soldiers chased our officials away.”

“I don’t understand how someone who once occupied such a high office cannot come to the FCT Minister to explain his situation but instead uses soldiers to intimidate people.”

“I am not one of those who will succumb to blackmail or intimidation.”

“They have no papers, no approvals — nothing. How can we continue to allow lawlessness to prevail? What about ordinary Nigerians who don’t have the military behind them?”

“We’re not here to have a shootout with anybody or cause chaos. But I will not allow this to happen. Nobody, whether a former Chief of Naval Staff or anyone else, will be allowed to carry out illegal development on government land.”

For those who don’t know, Wike recently clashed with a military officer during an enforcement exercise in Abuja.

In a viral video Wike is seen engaging in a heated argument with some soldiers over access to a property within the territory.

The incident happened on Tuesday November 11th, 2025 when Wike and officials of the Federal Capital Territory Administration, FCTA, attempted to gain access to a disputed plot of land allegedly linked to former Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Awwal Zubairu Gambo (rtd).

In the video Wike is seen in a heated exchange with uniformed soldiers guarding the site, insisting that the developers lacked valid ownership or building approval.

When one of the soldiers resisted his directive, the minister, went angry and lashed out the officer.

He said: “Shut up! Keep quiet! You are a fool. As at the time I graduated, you were still in primary school… You send soldiers to intimidate who? We are all from this country… If not for the CDS who spoke to me now, you would have to kill everybody here.”