“Ex-Minister: Wike Must Say Sorry to Soldier After Abusive Conduct”

VOP NG reports that former Aviation Minister Osita Chidoka has called on FCT Minister Nyesom Wike to apologise to the Nigerian military officer he verbally abused during a confrontation in Abuja, while also condemning the Department of State Services (DSS) for unprofessional conduct.

In a statement titled “Minister Wike: Power, Process, and the Rule of Law,” Chidoka criticised the DSS operatives, saying their duty was to protect and de-escalate tense situations, not exacerbate them.

“Minister Nyesom Wike’s decision to personally enforce a directive at a disputed site was a fundamental misstep,” Chidoka said. “In constitutional democracies, power operates through institutions, not impulse.”

Chidoka emphasised that executive authority must be exercised via lawful channels such as the courts and ministries, and not through direct confrontation with officers on the ground.

“No matter how justified a grievance, a minister cannot act as an enforcer; doing so violates the very principle of orderly governance,” he added.

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The former Corps Marshal of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) further explained that ministers act through process, not personal presence.

“A formal communication to the Minister of Defence, whose office oversees the Armed Forces, would have sufficed. If the officers were acting outside their duties, established disciplinary systems would address it,” he said.
“Trading words with a uniformed officer executing lawful orders corrodes discipline and confuses hierarchy. The officer’s role is to follow the chain of command; the minister’s role is to act through lawful channels.”

Chidoka stressed that Wike should apologise for using abusive language and warned that the DSS team’s actions were equally unprofessional.

“Security officers must remember that their loyalty is to the state, not to individuals. Their role is to extract their principal from dangerous situations, not escalate tensions,” he said.
“This episode undermines the dignity of the office of the Minister and tarnishes the image of disciplined governance.”

The statement follows reports by SaharaReporters of a tense encounter in Gaduwa District, Abuja, where soldiers blocked Wike and officials from accessing a disputed property.

In a video obtained by SaharaReporters, Wike was seen angrily confronting a soldier, accusing him of obstructing government officials, while the soldier maintained he was acting under lawful orders.

Wike was heard saying: “Because you’re an officer, nobody does that (nobody acquires land illegally),” while the soldier defended his actions, stating all steps taken on the land were legitimate.