Defence Minister, Matawalle, faults Wike over clash with Military Officer

Nigeria’s Minister of Defence, Bello Matawalle, has described the recent altercation between the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, and a military officer as “unfortunate,” stressing that the officer did nothing wrong and was only carrying out lawful orders.

Speaking on the matter, Matawalle said:

“What happened between Minister Wike and the officer is unfortunate. When he got there, the officer explained that he was simply obeying orders given to him. Wike should not have exchanged words with the officer; he ought to have addressed his concerns through the officer’s superiors.

“He (Wike) is our colleague, and Wike could have reached out to us to resolve whatever issue. The officer’s action was lawful—he was trained to be disciplined, loyal, and obedient to orders. Therefore, the young officer only carried out his duty worthy of commendation.

“He did not commit any offence under military regulations; he merely obeyed a lawful order and followed due process. If you observe carefully, he spoke respectfully and conducted himself properly.”

Matawalle further defended the soldier’s conduct, stating that there was no reason for disciplinary action against him.

“There is, therefore, no offence under military law for which he should be charged. Wike should not have engaged him in an altercation, especially out of respect for the uniform he was wearing. Anyone who disrespects a soldier indirectly disrespects the President, who is the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces. There is, therefore, no basis for any punishment against the officer.”

The Defence Minister clarified that his comments were not to justify any act of disrespect by the military toward civilians, but to emphasise the need for due process and mutual respect between government officials and security agencies.

“This is not about supporting the military to act disrespectfully toward civilians. The Minister should understand that every officer has superiors. I gathered that he called the Chief of Defence Staff, who advised him to wait for an investigation.

“However, he did not wait and instead went straight to the site. As a leader, he ought to have exercised patience and waited for the outcome of the investigation.

“Wike also contacted the Chief of Naval Staff, who assured him that an investigation would be conducted. Yet again, he did not wait. It was supposed to be a one-day inquiry, but he chose to go there and confront them.”

Matawalle’s statement comes amid growing public debate over the clash, with many calling for restraint and respect for institutional protocols among government officials.