Buratai demands Wike’s apology over clash with soldier

Says act undermines national security

By Kunle Sanni –

Former Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai (rtd), has condemned the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, over his confrontation with a military officer during a dispute involving a parcel of land in Abuja.

The incident, captured in videos that circulated online on Tuesday, showed Wike engaging in a heated exchange with armed military personnel at the contested site in the nation’s capital.

Reacting to the development, Buratai described Wike’s conduct as a “palpable threat to national security” and a “reckless act of indiscipline” that could undermine the authority of the armed forces.

“His public disparagement of a uniformed officer of the Nigerian Armed Forces transcends mere misconduct; it represents a palpable threat to national security and institutional integrity,” Buratai said in a statement.

According to the former army chief, the minister’s verbal assault on the soldier was not only disrespectful but also damaging to the morale and discipline of the military.

“It deliberately undermines the chain of command, disrespects the authority of the Commander-in-Chief, and grievously wounds the morale of every individual who serves under the Nigerian flag,” he said.

Buratai further warned that such actions erode the foundations of national order and discipline upon which the country’s security system is built.

“This cannot be dismissed as political theatre. It is a reckless endangerment of national order,” he added.