Minister Wike in Fierce Row with Army Officer Over Land Grab in Abuja

Nigeria’s capital city minister, Nyesom Wike, locked horns with an unnamed army man on Tuesday in the Gaduwa area of Abuja. The bust-up centred on claims that the officer had wrongly seized a plot of land once held by a past navy chief.

Footage of the shouting match shows Wike blasting the officer for grabbing the site just because of his rank. “Does being in uniform mean you can take what isn’t yours? That chap got the land when he led the navy,” Wike snapped.

The officer, kitted out in army gear, cut in to defend himself. “I stand by my honour. All of this was done by the book,” he shot back.

Wike lost his cool at the interruption and told him to pipe down, but the man refused. “I’m not keeping quiet,” he replied. Things boiled over when Wike called him a “complete idiot” and boasted about his age, adding, “When I finished school, you were still learning your ABCs.”

The officer held firm, saying he was there on strict orders from above. Wike fired a warning: “Just try staying put. Build on it if you dare, and watch what happens.”

No word yet from army bosses or city hall on the spat. It comes as Wike cracks down on dodgy land deals and rogue builds in Abuja since taking charge last August. He has torn down unlawful setups to bring back the city’s original layout plan.