Wike blows hot after tense confrontation with military officers

By Ayorinde Oluokun

The FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike has vowed not to succumb to intimidation in his determination to halt illegal constructions in all parts of the territory.

Wike spoke after military officers from the Nigerian Navy obstructed him from accessing alleged site of illegal construction activities in Gaduwa District, along the corridor of the Bola Ahmed Tinubu Way in the FCT on Tuesday.

The Minister and members of his team, including the Director of Development Control, Mukhtar Galadima, were prevented from accessing the site.

The naval officers claimed that they were acting on orders, allegedly from a former Chief of Naval Staff, who is constructing at the site.

However, Wike stressed that the FCT Administration will not succumb to intimidation or blackmail, adding, “The way we have carried out our job in other areas is the same way it will be done here. He will not carry out this illegal development and land grabbing, simply because he was a former Chief of Naval Staff. I will not allow that”.

Addressing journalists immediately after the tense standoff, the Minister strongly condemned the actions, describing them as an act of lawlessness on the part of the Nigerian Military.

He said, “I did instruct them [FCTA officials] to make sure that nothing takes place, in as much as they did not have any legal paper in terms of building approval or even acquisition of the land.

“When they came here, I was informed that the military chased them away. So, today, I was called that the military have taken over the place and I had to come to see things for myself”.

The Minister questioned the use of military personnel to protect what he described as a clear case of illegal development and land grabbing.

He vowed that he will not allow such to continue in FCT.

“It’s really unfortunate, and you heard what the officer said, he was sent by the former Chief of Naval Staff. I don’t understand how somebody who attained that position and he sees that he has a problem, cannot approach my office to explain what is going on. Or simply because he’s a military man, he felt he could use that to intimidate Nigerians. I’m not one of those kinds of persons that will succumb to blackmail or intimidation.

“You can imagine where you cannot even prove that you have the documents. You don’t have the title documents and you don’t have the approval for building. How can we continue to allow lawlessness to prevail in this country? What about those who don’t have the military? What about those who don’t have security?”, he queried.

Wike said he has already engaged the Chief of Defence Staff and the Chief of Naval Staff, both of whom have assured him that they will intervene to resolve the matter.