Drama in Abuja: Soldiers Stop Wike from Entering FCT Land, Minister Explodes in Anger
Tension flared in Abuja on Tuesday when soldiers reportedly blocked the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, from accessing a parcel of land in Gaduwa.
Wike, who arrived at the site alongside officials of the Federal Capital Territory Development Authority (FCDA), was intercepted by armed soldiers who denied him entry.
Visibly enraged, the minister confronted the soldiers, shouting, “You are a fool!” — to which one calmly replied, “I am not a fool.”
Despite efforts by Wike’s security aides to defuse the standoff, the soldiers stood firm, insisting they were acting on “orders from above.”
An infuriated Wike lashed out, saying:
“We cannot continue to act in impunity. You cannot be higher than the government. You cannot carry guns to intimidate anybody. I am not one of those who can be intimidated!”
The minister further expressed disappointment that the military would obstruct a government operation instead of following due process.
“I don’t understand how someone who has a problem cannot come to my office to resolve it, but instead uses military power to intimidate citizens. I will not succumb to blackmail,” he said.
The dramatic face-off underscores lingering tensions between civilian authorities and security agencies over control of lands within the FCT.