Nyesom Wike, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, has refuted claims of a fallout with the military, asserting that he was simply misunderstood.
The clarification comes in the wake of a widely reported confrontation between Wike and a naval officer earlier this week in Abuja over a land development issue. Wike emphasised that he holds the Armed Forces in high regard and never had any intention of sowing discord. He labelled the reports of a rift as “false and misleading.”
Addressing journalists on Thursday, he stressed: “I do not have any problem with the military and will never have. I have great respect for the institution and for the sacrifices they make to keep our nation safe.” He said his earlier remarks — now being portrayed as confrontational — were wrongly interpreted. According to him, his position was straightforward: no officer or individual should carry out an illegal order, and asserting the right to say no to unlawful instructions does not equate to enmity with the military.
Wike also pointed out that his administration, through the FCT office, has consistently supported military operations in the territory, and anyone claiming otherwise is misinformed. He went further to admonish the press for sensational headlines, calling for accurate, verified reporting rather than distortion of statements for click-bait.
