*Avoid Stunts with Soldiers, Shehu Sani Warns Wike
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Osita Chidoka, a lawyer, former Minister of Aviation, and ex-Corps Marshal of the Federal Road Safety Corps, has condemned Federal Capital Territory Minister Nyesom Wike’s recent confrontation with a military officer at a disputed construction site in Abuja. Chidoka described the incident as a “fundamental misstep” that undermines the rule of law and the dignity of public office, calling on Wike to issue a public apology for his “abusive language.”
The episode, which unfolded last week amid escalating tensions over land disputes in the capital, saw Wike personally intervening to enforce a government directive, leading to a heated exchange with uniformed personnel from the Nigerian Armed Forces. Videos of the altercation, showing Wike berating the officer and the involvement of his security detail, went viral on social media, sparking widespread debate on the boundaries of executive authority.
In his statement titled “Minister Wike: Power, Process, and the Rule of Law,” Chidoka emphasized that in a constitutional democracy, power must flow through institutions rather than personal impulses. He argued that Wike’s actions not only eroded military discipline but also blurred the lines of hierarchy and accountability.
Full Statement from Osita Chidoka:
Any law enforcement officer, in uniform or plain clothes, represents the President and the sovereignty of the Nigerian state. To abuse such an officer is to diminish the authority of the Republic itself.
Minister Nyesom Wike’s decision to personally enforce a directive at a disputed site was a fundamental misstep. In constitutional democracies, power operates through institutions, not impulse.
Executive authority must be exercised or adjudicated through the courts, ministries, and lawful instruments of state, never through confrontation. No matter how justified a grievance, a minister cannot become an enforcer; that violates the very principle of ordered government.
In a democracy, ministers act through process, not presence. A formal communication to the Minister of Defence, whose office oversees the Armed Forces, would have sufficed. If the officers were on illegal duty, the established disciplinary systems would have addressed it.
When a minister trades words with a uniformed officer acting under orders lawful or otherwise it corrodes discipline and confuses hierarchy.
The officer’s duty is to obey the chain of command, not verbal instructions on a roadside; the minister’s duty is to act through lawful channels.
The Minister should apologize to the officer for using abusive language. It is not acceptable behaviour.
The conduct of the DSS protective details was equally unprofessional. Their responsibility was to extract their principal from a rancorous and potentially dangerous situation, not to escalate it.
Security officers must remember that their loyalty is to the state, not to personalities.
This episode is a cautionary tale: it demeans the dignity of the office of the Minister and undermines the image of disciplined governance.
Also reacting to the incident on his X (formerly Twitter) handle on Tuesday, Shehu Sani commended Wike’s efforts in restoring order to the FCT but cautioned against confrontations with soldiers.
“Wike is doing an excellent job in Abuja but should not be encouraged to perform this kind of stunt with soldiers,” Sani wrote.
The viral exchange has drawn mixed reactions from Nigerians, with some praising the military officer’s composure during the altercation, while others warned that such confrontations by Wike could strain civil-military relations.
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