Nigeria’s Minister of Defence, Mohammed Badaru, has declared support for Lieutenant Yerima, the naval officer who cl+shed with the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, over a disputed parcel of land allegedly belonging to former Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Awwal Gambo (rtd).
Speaking on the incident, Badaru praised the officer’s conduct, describing Yerima as disciplined and dutiful.
“We will always protect our officer; he has done well. We won’t allow anything to happen to him,” the minister stated. “Any officer on lawful duty will be protected highly. He is doing his job, and doing it greatly well,” Badaru said, according to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).
The confrontation reportedly occurred on Tuesday when FCT officials attempted to take possession of the disputed land in Abuja.
A viral video showed soldiers blocking Wike’s convoy, triggering a h+ated verbal exchange between the minister and Lieutenant Yerima.
Wike accused the soldiers of obstructing government officials from carrying out their duties, while the officer insisted he was acting under lawful orders.
“Because you’re an officer, nobody acquires land illegally!” Wike shouted.
“Sir, we did not carry any land,” Yerima replied.
As the exchange escalated, Wike called the officer “a big f++l,” to which Yerima retorted, “I’m not a f++l, sir. I am acting on an order.”
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