By Mohammed Bello Doka
In a country where the gallantry of our armed forces is too often taken for granted, Nigeria woke up to a disturbing spectacle: a sitting minister, Nyesom Wike, attempting to publicly humiliate serving military officers while trampling on the dignity of a retired Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Awwal Zubairu Gambo (rtd). What should have been a routine administrative visit to Plot 1946, Cadastral Zone B13, Gaduwa District, Abuja, on a breezy morning in November 2025 — turned into a national moment of shame. Shame not for the military, but for the political recklessness of a man who has built an entire career on confrontation, bulldozers, intimidation, and disregard for the rule of law.
This is not a story of land. It is a story of institutional dignity vs. political arrogance, of military honour vs. civilian abuse of power, and of how a veteran who served Nigeria for nearly four decades is today being subjected to media trial, disrespect, and calculated humiliation by a minister whose history shows little respect for democratic norms.
THE VETERAN AT THE CENTRE OF IT ALL — A MAN WHO GAVE HIS LIFE TO NIGERIA
Vice Admiral Awwal Zubairu Gambo is not just another retired officer. He is a man who dedicated 39 years of his life to the Nigerian Navy. A man who rose from the gritty cadet training fields of the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA) as a member of Regular Course 36 in 1984, to serving Nigeria across warships, intelligence commands, international missions, and ultimately as Chief of Naval Staff (CNS) from January 26, 2021 to June 19, 2023.
His record is unblemished:
No conviction
No disciplinary action
No abuse of office
No scandal
No corruption history
Zero record of breaking the law
In a country where public service is too often tainted by greed, Gambo stands out as a rare example of honour. Trained in underwater warfare, intelligence, international diplomacy, and national defence strategy, he served in roles that shaped Nigeria’s maritime security landscape:
Watch-keeping officer aboard NNS ENYIMIRI (1990)
Executive Officer of NNS AYAM (2006–2007)
Pioneer Defence Attaché in Luanda, Angola (2011–2013)
Commandant of the Naval Intelligence School (2013–2014)
Director of Simulation, Naval Doctrine & Assessment Centre (2015–2017)
Director of Procurement at the Defence Space Administration (2018–2021)
Contributor to Operation Dakatarda Barawo, which curbed illegal oil theft and saved the nation billions
As CNS, he led the Navy to one of its greatest victories — reducing piracy in the Gulf of Guinea, modernizing Nigeria’s naval fleet with assets like NNS LANA and NNS OJI, and eliminating hundreds of illegal refinery sites. His legacy is secure, his service is undeniable, and his patriotism is unquestionable.
Yet today, this same man is being dragged through the mud because a civilian minister wants to assert dominance through bulldozers and television cameras.
THE PLOT 1946 SCANDAL — WHERE WIKE OVERREACHED
The disputed land at Plot 1946, Gaduwa — originally designated as a Green Area — lies at the centre of this conflict. Wike claimed military officers were illegally occupying the land. Yet investigative reports show that the land has a complex history of allocation, revocation, and alleged reallocation to associates of Wike, including politically connected individuals.
Wike arrived at the site with his bulldozers, media entourage, and signature aggression. He confronted young naval officers led by Lt. A.M. Yerima, demanding they surrender “the documents.” When the officers, following military protocol, insisted on chain-of-command clearance, Wike lost his temper — accusing them of acting on “illegal orders.”
But according to the Nigerian Constitution, Armed Forces Act, and military doctrine, only the military hierarchy — specifically the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Chief of Naval Staff (CNS), Defence Headquarters, and the officer’s immediate command — can declare an order legal or illegal.
Not Wike.
Not a civilian minister.
Not the FCT bulldozer squad.
THE MILITARY’S RESPONSE: A REBUKE OF WIKE’S ARROGANCE
The military responded swiftly and firmly:
The Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle, confirmed Lt. Yerima acted on lawful orders, not illegal ones.
Former Service Chiefs — including respected figures like Gen. Lucky Irabor (rtd) — openly criticized Wike for disrespecting the uniform.
Defence Headquarters initiated an internal review and affirmed institutional support for the officer.
This is because Wike’s reckless accusation threatens national security.
Why?
1. It undermines chain of command, the backbone of military discipline.
2. It politicizes the military, which the Constitution forbids.
3. It risks turning soldiers into political pawns, destabilizing civil–military relations.
4. It erodes public trust in the armed forces.
What Wike did is not just an insult to Lt. Yerima.
It is an insult to every Nigerian who has served, bled, or died in uniform.
THE REAL DANGER: A MINISTER WHO BELIEVES HE CAN COMMAND THE MILITARY
Nigeria has watched Wike grow increasingly confrontational:
In 2016, he blocked the arrest of a federal judge.
In 2018–2019, “thugs” linked to his political machinery were accused of disrupting Court of Appeal proceedings.
His public attacks on judges and conflicting court orders became legendary.
As Governor, he used demolitions as political weapons.
As FCT Minister, he revived the same bulldozer mentality — arbitrary, selective, and punitive.
This is a man who behaves as though due process is an optional luxury.
A man whose governance style has been consistently:
Aggressive
Intimidatory
Confrontational
Rule-defying
Institutionally disrespectful
Why would anyone take his claim of “illegal orders” seriously when his own record shows a pattern of ignoring law, institutions, and democratic boundaries?
WHY NIGERIANS MUST DEFEND THE MILITARY — NOT POLITICAL BULLIES
The military does not engage in media banter.
It does not issue press insults.
It does not threaten, abuse, or harass.
Its discipline is its dignity.
Retired and serving officers — like Vice Admiral Gambo and Lt. Yerima — represent a tradition of sacrifice that politicians like Wike cannot understand. Soldiers bury their colleagues, politicians bury their scandals.
The military stands between Nigeria and chaos.
Politicians stand between power and self-interest.
When a politician attacks a veteran, he attacks the entire institution.
WHERE IS PRESIDENT TINUBU IN ALL THIS?
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu must act — decisively.
A minister who:
insults military officers,
undermines operational command,
threatens the chain of command,
drags veterans into media circus,
and creates civil–military tension
should not be left unchecked.
Tinubu must:
1. Sanction Wike for insubordination against state institutions
2. Protect the military from undue political interference
3. Uphold the sanctity of the uniform
4. Affirm that no minister — no matter how loud — is above the Constitution
Failure to act sends a dangerous message:
that Nigeria’s military can be publicly humiliated by any political actor with a camera crew and bulldozer.
DIFFICULT QUESTIONS FOR WIKE’S SUPPORTERS
1. If the officers were truly acting illegally, why did the military hierarchy declare their orders lawful?
2. Why did Wike not approach the courts, as required by the Land Use Act?
3. Why does Wike always choose confrontation over due process?
4. Why is a retired Admiral with a spotless career being dragged through a political vendetta?
5. Why does Wike constantly fight democratically established institutions — courts, military, agencies?
6. Who truly benefits from the reallocation of the disputed land?
7. Why is Wike’s governance record filled with allegations of overreach, intimidation, and arbitrary demolitions?
CONCLUSION: A NATION MUST CHOOSE — INSTITUTIONS OR INDIVIDUALS
Nigeria must decide whether it stands with:
Its military veterans
Its young officers
Its chain of command
Its constitutional order
or with a minister whose history shows he respects none of the above.
Vice Admiral Gambo earned his honour with 39 years of service.
Lt. Yerima earned his dignity by obeying lawful orders.
The military earned the nation’s respect with blood.
Wike earned his notoriety through bulldozers, bluster, and belligerence.
History will not forget the difference.
And neither should Nigeria.
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Opinion