Lere Olayinka, the Senior Special Assistant to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has criticized Lt. Yerima, the military officer who clashed with the minister on Tuesday, November 11, describing him as “unruly and arrogant.”
Speaking during an interview on Channels Television on Wednesday, November 12, Olayinka accused the officer of misconduct and clarified the controversy surrounding the disputed land in Abuja that led to the confrontation.
According to Olayinka, the land in question was originally allocated in 2007 to Santos Estate Limited for park and recreation purposes. However, the company allegedly sought to convert the land to commercial use without obtaining proper approval.
“That particular land was allocated to a company in 2007, Santos Estate Limited, for park and recreation. The company did not do anything on the land because that place is a road corridor you don’t build there,” Olayinka explained.
He added that in 2022, the company applied to the FCT Development Authority (FCTDA) to change the land’s designated purpose to commercial use.
“Probably in anticipation of the Minister’s approval, the company began partitioning the land and selling it to individuals, including a former Chief of Naval Staff,” he revealed.
Olayinka claimed that the former Chief of Naval Staff was defrauded in the process and, instead of seeking legal resolution, resorted to using military force to claim the property.
“The former Chief of Naval Staff was scammed, and he has realised it. Instead of coming forward to seek help, he resorted to using military might,” he stated.
Commenting on the viral video showing Lt. Yerima confronting Minister Wike, Olayinka described the officer’s conduct as unprofessional and questioned the validity of the order he claimed to be following.
“I saw the Army officer saying he was acting on orders, but I ask which order? You obey orders, yes, but the order must be lawful and reasonable. If your superior tells you to shoot someone or commit a crime, will you obey because it’s an order?”
He further noted that Minister Wike had contacted the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) before visiting the site and again during the confrontation.
“From the video, you could see he gave his phone to that unruly officer because he was disrespectful. The Minister called the CDS before leaving his office and again at the scene,” Olayinka added.
The incident and the accompanying video have since sparked widespread debate on social media, with Nigerians expressing differing views on the limits of civil authority versus military obedience.
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