Minister of State for Defence Bello Matawalle has said there is no justification to discipline Lieutenant A. Yerima, the naval officer at the centre of Tuesday’s public standoff with FCT Minister Nyesom Wike over a disputed Abuja parcel.
Matawalle described the confrontation as “unnecessary and avoidable” but defended the officer’s conduct, arguing he was following orders and acted professionally throughout the encounter.
In an interview with DCL Hausa, the minister urged that such disputes should be resolved through formal channels rather than public altercations.
Matawalle noted that the Chief of Naval Staff has already visited the site and that an inquiry into ownership documents is underway.
He stressed the importance of respecting the chain of command and warned that undermining uniformed personnel could be seen as undermining the Commander-in-Chief.
Matawalle clarified his remarks were not a blanket defence of military misconduct but a call for civility and procedure.
He acknowledged the FCT minister could have raised concerns with military superiors or allowed the ongoing investigation to proceed.
With contrasting legal opinions emerging — some senior lawyers argue the officer disobeyed lawful civil authority while others defend military protocol — the Defence Ministry’s probe is now expected to determine whether orders were lawful and whether any disciplinary action is warranted.
