The Northern Christian Youth Professionals (NCYP) has expressed serious concern over the recent confrontation between the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, and a naval officer, Lt. A. Yerima, who allegedly prevented the Minister from accessing a parcel of land under the jurisdiction of the FCT Administration.
In a statement issued on Friday, Chairman of NCYP, Isaac Abrak, described the incident as a grave violation of democratic order and a dangerous precedent capable of undermining the supremacy of civilian authority — a cornerstone of stable governance.
Abrak noted that respected legal experts, including human rights lawyer Femi Falana (SAN), have affirmed that the Minister acted within his constitutional powers as provided under the Land Use Act and the Federal Capital Territory Act, which vest authority in the FCT Minister to manage land within the territory.
He stressed that obstructing a Minister from accessing land under his jurisdiction is unconstitutional and an affront to the authority delegated to him by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on behalf of the Nigerian people. The NCYP further explained that the property in question is linked to a retired naval admiral and is not a military facility, making the deployment of naval personnel to secure it an unlawful use of military resources.
“While Minister Wike may have exercised poor judgment in some of his remarks, this does not justify the constitutional breach committed by the officer and those who deployed him,” Abrak said. “The issue extends beyond Wike as an individual — it concerns the office he holds and the democratic authority it represents.”
NCYP warned that celebrating the humiliation of civilian officeholders could embolden further violations against democratic institutions. The group cited international precedents from the United States, United Kingdom, and Canada, where military officers faced sanctions for actions perceived as undermining civilian authority.
The organisation called for decisive corrective steps, urging President Tinubu to launch a full investigation into the deployment of military personnel to guard private property, discipline those involved, and reaffirm the supremacy of civil authority.
It also advised Minister Wike to apologise to the military for any inappropriate language and clarify that his comments targeted the unlawful actions, not the Armed Forces. The Nigerian Navy, NCYP added, should apologise to the FCT Administration and ensure that military personnel are never again used to obstruct civil authorities.
NCYP urged Nigerians to resist politicising the matter and remain vigilant against any threat to democratic governance. Ignoring the incident, it warned, could embolden future acts of insubordination and weaken democratic institutions meant to serve the people.
