Lere Olayinka, the Senior Special Assistant on Publicity and Communications to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has clarified the minister’s actions during Tuesday’s confrontation with a naval officer in Abuja.
Olayinka claimed that a former Chief of Naval Staff was scammed in a land deal in Abuja and, instead of seeking help, resorted to using military force.
Speaking on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily on Wednesday, Olayinka said the disputed land was not allocated to the former Naval Chief but to a company that attempted to convert it for commercial purposes contrary to its original use.“That particular land was allocated to a company in 2007, Santos Estate Limited, for park and recreation.
The company did not do anything on the land because that place is a road corridor — you don’t build there,” Olayinka said.
“Then, in 2022, the company wrote to the FCT Development Authority (FCTDA), seeking approval to convert the land’s purpose to commercial use. Probably in anticipation of the Minister’s approval, the company began partitioning the land originally meant for park and recreation and sold it to people, including the former Chief of Naval Staff.
“I want to say here that the former Chief of Naval Staff was scammed, and he has realised that he was scammed. Instead of coming forward to seek help, he resorted to using military might.”Background
On Tuesday, Wike, with his entourage, clashed with some soldiers over a land in the Gaduwa district of the area.
“This is unprofessional. You cannot be threatening a minister like this,” one of the officials accompanying Wike told the soldiers as the minister and his team tried to gain access to the land.
The minister, unhappy over the development, questioned the actions of the military officers, saying no one is above the laws of the land.
Wike questioned the development of the land, alleging that due process was not followed.
“You have no document,” the FCT minister said during the impasse on Tuesday, but the soldiers did not budge, saying that they were following instructions.“We cannot continue to act in impunity. We cannot continue this way. This country cannot go along this line.
“You cannot be higher than any government. You cannot be carrying a gun to intimidate anybody. I am not one of those that they can intimidate,” he said.
The ex-Naval Chief has not responded to the issue, but soldiers at the scene claimed he possessed the documents to the disputed land.
The altercation has since sparked public debate over land administration, civil-military relations, and abuse of power in the FCT.
Do you think the ex-Naval Chief’s scam fully explains the clash between Wike and the military? Let's know your views in the comment section