Drama as soldiers stop Wike, FCTA officials from accessing Gaduwa Property

…Minister engage Army officer in shouting match

…Vows to stop project

 

FAVOUR ISHEMBER, Abuja

 

Tempers rose high and a mild drama ensued on Tuesday when some soldiers stopped the Federal Capital Territory Minister,  Barr.  Nyesom  Wike and officials from the FCT  Department of Control from entering a property at Gaduwa in Abuja.

Apparently irked by the attitude of the military personnel and the officer who led them, Wike asked him to shut up and calling the soldier a fool during a shouting match while the latter promptly replied ”I’m not a fool, you can’t shut me up”.

Wike and his team arrived the area to inspect a property that was being developed illegally and without planning approvals by a private developer.

Upon arrival, the illegal occupant of the property, one retired officer, Vice Admira Awall zuberu Gambo, who was present, drew attention to Plot 1946, a parcel that has been linked to the minister’s own land holdings.

But Wike, who oversees the FCT Administration, said the visit was aimed at enforcing the city’s planning regulations and ensuring that all developments comply with the law.

“We will not tolerate any breach of our urban planning rules, regardless of who is involved,” he told reporters at the scene.

According to him, “You are aware that the land department and the development control have been mandated to see where the illegal development is going on and land grabbing. And when this was brought to my attention, I did instruct them to make sure that nothing takes place in as much as they did not have any legal paper in terms of regional approval or even the acquisition of the land.

“And when they came here, I was informed that the soldiers had to chase them away and I thought probably they would be acting illegally.

“So today while I was in the office, when they came to implement the directive that was given to them by myself, I was called that the military had taken over the place and I have to come by myself to see things for myself. It’s really unfortunate. And you heard what the officers said, he was sent by the former Chief of Naval Staff”.

“And I don’t understand how somebody who attained that position and he said that he has a problem cannot approach my office to say, look, this is what is going on. But simply because he’s a military man, he could use that to intimidate Nigerians. I’m not one of those kind of persons that will succumb to blackmail or intimidation.

“And you can imagine where you cannot even prove or show your titled documents. And the Director of Development Control said, look, I was here. I said bring the documents, you don’t have the documents”.

“Bring the approval for building, you don’t have it. And how can we continue to allow lawlessness to prevail in this country? What about those who don’t have the military? What about those who don’t have security? It has gotten to a level where when government officials are doing, carrying out their job, you go and bring security to intimidate them. I will not accept that.

“I’ve spoken to the Chief of Defence Staff and I’ve spoken to the Chief of Naval Staff and they have assured me that, please, they have to resolve the matter. And we’re not coming here to have a shootout with anybody to cause chaos. But what I can say is: I will not allow it to happen”

“The way we have done and carried out our jobs in other areas is the same way it will be done here. He will not carry out this illegal deployment on the land simply because he was a former Chief of Naval Staff. I would not allow that”.

In the process, the Department of Development Control issued a stop‑work order and gave the developer a 48‑hour deadline to submit the necessary documentation. Failure to comply will result in demolition of the unauthorized structures, officials warned.

But a tense standoff later unfolded when Barr Wike confronted a retired military officer over an illegal development. As the minister engaged the ex‑officer, his security detail moved into combat‑ready positions, fearing the situation could turn violent.

Our Correspondent reports that the retired officer, identified only as Rtd. Awall Zuberu Gambo, represented by his aide, A.M Yerima  appeared agitated as the minister inspected the disputed site.

The minister’s bodyguards, drawn from the FCT security unit, formed a protective cordon around Wike and were prepared to intervene should the encounter escalate.

“The security team was on high alert because it looked like an attack was imminent,” as source close to the minister told reporters.

The altercation between the officer on guard duty and Barr. Wike went thus:

Officer: Sir we did not take anybody’s land

Minister: The man told me that he will not allow that because he was the Chief of Naval Staff and then begin to carry land?

Officer: Sir everything was applied legally and you will get the papers

Minister: Will you stop that! Will you stop that.

Officer: Sir, I’m an officer, I have integrity.

Minister: Shut up your mouth.

Officer: Sir, I will not shut up.

Minister: When I was in school, you have  not resumed school, will you keep quiet. You are fool.

Officer: I’m not a fool sir, you can’t shut me up

Minister: As at the time I graduated, you’re still in primary school.

Officer: I’m acting on order, don’t call me a fool, you can’t call me a fool

Minister: Which order? You will see whether you will not leave here

Officer: You can’t call me a fool , I’m an officer, I’m not a fool.

Wike: You would have killed everybody here.

Officer: We won’t kill any body, we are acting on order sir.