The Pan Niger Delta Forum, PANDEF, has erupted in outrage over the viral confrontation between the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, and a naval officer in Abuja, describing it as a national shame and an insult to the office of the President.
In a statement on Thursday, PANDEF’s National Chairman, Ambassador Godknows Igali, slammed the military authorities, insisting that Wike deserves an unreserved national apology.
He urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to order an immediate probe and punish those behind the incident, warning that such lawlessness “threatens the very foundation of civil governance.”
Igali said, “Chief Wike, CON, without doubt, one of the best performing Ministers in this administration, deserves to be treated with much more respect and decorum.”
According to him, the naval officer’s conduct was “an open show of disdain” for the President’s authority, since the powers of the FCT are constitutionally vested in the minister.
PANDEF expressed shock over what it called the “social media glamourisation” of the officer’s behaviour, revealing that he was allegedly acting on the orders of a retired Service Chief.
“The act of using ordinarily innocent junior military personnel to perform illegal duties like watching over unoccupied personal lands or the like must not be tolerated,” Igali fumed.
He warned that allowing uniformed men to challenge a sitting minister was an affront to democracy, saying, “In any sane country, such conduct would never be excused — it’s an assault on the Constitution and the presidency itself.”
Igali demanded that the Nigerian Navy tender an “unconditional apology” to Wike, saying anything less would amount to condoning mutiny against lawful authority.
