Wike vs Military: Soldier acted properly – Sam Amadi

Sam Amadi, the Director of the Abuja School of Social and Political Thought, has defended the naval officer who was involved in a confrontation with Nyesom Wike, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), over access to a piece of land in Abuja. According to Amadi, the military serviceman did nothing wrong.

In an interview on Arise Television, Amadi pointed out that although Minister Wike holds authority over the FCT, he does not carry the powers of the Commander-in-Chief.

The incident occurred when the FCT Authority (FCTA) officials accompanied the minister to a contested site in Abuja. Soldiers were present to secure the location, and a disagreement ensued. Daily Post reports that the minister and FCTA officials clashed with the soldiers over land access rights.

Amadi remarked: “The statement by the Defence Minister is correct — officers on duties that are lawful need the protection of the state. It was unnecessary for the FCT Minister to go personally with others to the site. After the task was done, the minister should have reported to the Inspector-General of Police, because the police are the lawful enforcers of such matters in Nigeria.”

He further asserted that the soldier “acted in accordance with standard military procedure. He was authorized to be there and safeguard the location, and the minister cannot override the instruction given to the soldier.”

Amadi used the episode to raise deeper concerns about the governance of the country’s land regime. He argued that such conflicts point to abuse of powers under the Land Use Act — where ministers and governors have become untrustworthy trustees of the common good. He urged a review of the Act, suggesting the need for transparent due process akin to laws in other jurisdictions.

In summary, Sam Amadi contends that the clash is a symptom of broader institutional failures in Nigeria: lack of civility, weak processes, and overreach of power by officials in the administration of public land.

Additional details & context

• The minister’s involvement was not simply administrative but physical: he went to the site with officials rather than relying solely on procedure.
• Amadi emphasises the distinction between legal authority to revoke land allocations and the enforcement of such allocations. The minister may issue revocations but should not personally engage in the enforcement against military personnel.
• He also pointed out that even the Defence Minister does not wield the Commander-in-Chief authority, which remains vested in the president. The minister of FCT therefore cannot command military operations.

Why this matters

This episode underscores the delicate separation of powers in Nigeria’s governance: between executive authority in land administration, enforcement powers of the police, and military functions under the Commander-in-Chief. Missteps or confusion among these actors can lead to institutional collisions and public controversies.