Olayinka Clarifies Wike’s Clash with Naval Officer, Says Ex-Naval Chief Was Scammed in Abuja Land Deal |Omohglobalnews

 

By Ọmọsọla Olumide 

Lere Olayinka, Senior Special Assistant on Publicity and Communications to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has explained the circumstances surrounding Tuesday’s confrontation between the minister and a naval officer in Abuja.

Speaking on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily on Wednesday, Olayinka revealed that the incident stemmed from a disputed piece of land in the Gaduwa area, which, according to him, was never allocated to the former Chief of Naval Staff but to a private firm — Santos Estate Limited.

“That particular land was allocated in 2007 to Santos Estate Limited for park and recreational purposes,” Olayinka said. “However, the company did nothing with it because the area lies within a road corridor — construction is not permitted there.”

He explained that in 2022, the company sought approval from the Federal Capital Territory Development Authority (FCTDA) to convert the land for commercial use. “In anticipation of approval that never came, the company started partitioning the land meant for park and recreation and sold plots to individuals, including the former Chief of Naval Staff,” Olayinka noted.

According to him, the retired military officer later discovered that he had been defrauded. “The former Chief of Naval Staff was scammed, and he knows he was scammed. But instead of seeking assistance through the proper channels, he resorted to using military force,” Olayinka said.

The clarification followed a viral video of Wike clashing with soldiers guarding the disputed land. In the footage, the minister, visibly angered, confronted the soldiers for preventing him and his team from accessing the site.

“This is unprofessional. You cannot be threatening a minister like this,” one of Wike’s aides was heard saying during the incident.

Wike accused the soldiers and those behind the land development of disregarding due process. “You have no document,” the minister said, stressing that no one is above the law. “We cannot continue to act with impunity. You cannot intimidate government officials with guns. I am not one of those you can intimidate,” he declared.

Soldiers at the scene, however, insisted they were acting on orders and claimed the former Naval Chief possessed valid documents for the land.

The altercation has since stirred widespread discussion on issues of land administration, abuse of power, and the delicate balance between civilian authority and military influence in the Federal Capital Territory.