*Lambast Nigeria Army, Lt. A.M. Yerima
By Matthias Ogbagah
As Nigerians continue to condemn the clash between the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Chief Nyesom Wike and Nigeria Army officer, Lt. A.M. Yerima, the National Chairman of the Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF), Ambassador Godknows Boladei Igali, has said the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Chief Nyesom Wike, deserves a national apology over the recent confrontation with a naval officer in Abuja.
Igali, who spoke with journalists at the Port Harcourt International Airport on his way to Lagos, expressed concern over what he described as the “social media glamourisation” of the improper conduct of the officer, identified as Lt. A.M. Yerima, allegedly acting on the orders of a retired service chief.
He said the development was not only a personal affront to the FCT Minister but also a public embarrassment to the office of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, whose powers are vested in the FCT Minister.
“Chief Wike, without doubt, is one of the best performing ministers in this administration and deserves to be treated with respect and decorum,” Igali said.
The former ambassador added, “The incident amounts to open disdain for the office of the President and the authority it represents.”
The former federal permanent secretary and diplomat condemned the involvement of military personnel in non-military assignments, describing the incident as “a horrible spectacle” that undermines civil authority and professional discipline.
He said the act of deploying naval personnel to guard or monitor private properties was “illegal, dangerous, and outside the Navy’s core constitutional mandate.”
“The Minister of the FCT deserves an unconditional apology from the leadership of the Nigerian Navy, on behalf of the retired service chief and the helpless young officer involved,” the PANDEF leader stated.
Igali urged President Bola Tinubu to order a full investigation into the matter, noting that accountability was necessary to preserve professionalism within the armed forces and uphold respect for constituted civil authority.
“If not checked, such overzealousness could erode the foundations of our democracy. The FCT Minister must be fully protected as he continues to discharge his duties with passion and commitment”, he added.
