Pulse.ng : Military Veterans Condemn Wike’s Verbal Attack on Naval Officer, Call for His Removal

By Sani Idris Abdulrahman

Retired Members of the Nigerian Armed Forces (REMENAF), under the Coalition of Concerned Military Veterans (CCV), have condemned what they described as an unwarranted public attack on a serving Naval Lieutenant by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike.

At a press conference in Kaduna on Friday, Col. Ibrahim Mansur (rtd), a member of the group’s board of trustees, said the incident amounted to an attack on the Armed Forces and a high-level security threat to the nation.

He noted that not everyone is worthy of the public offices they occupy, questioning why a minister would call a commissioned officer “a fool” on camera, instead of privately engaging the Chief of Naval Staff to resolve any issues.

Mansur said the veterans were shocked that a public official attempted to disgrace a young officer acting on lawful orders, as well as embarrass a retired senior general who previously served as Chief of Naval Staff.

He argued that trading insults with a uniformed officer demeaned the office of a minister and undermined disciplined governance, stressing that the loyalty of an officer is to the Nigerian state and not to personalities.

The veterans said a law enforcement officer in uniform represents the President and the sovereignty of Nigeria, and should not be subjected to public humiliation in the manner seen in the video.

They described the incident as a national embarrassment and an insult to the Armed Forces, stating that Wike’s actions attempted to humiliate and downgrade the values, uprightness, discipline and professionalism of military personnel.

According to the group, any attack on an officer carrying a presidential commission is equivalent to insulting the President and Commander-in-Chief, as officers bear delegated presidential authority.

They reiterated that the loyalty, integrity, and sovereignty of the Nigerian Armed Forces rest with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, adding that military veterans and their families remain fully committed to protecting his integrity and Nigeria’s democracy.

The group demanded that Wike apologise to the President, the Armed Forces, the young officer, and Nigerians for his conduct, which they described as unacceptable and unbecoming of a government official.

The veterans commended the Minister of Defence, Mohammed Badaru Abubakar; the Minister of State for Defence, Dr. Bello Matawalle, who oversees the Navy; the Chief of Defence Staff; the Service Chiefs; and the Inspector General of Police for their professional handling of the matter.

They appealed to President Tinubu to remove or redeploy Wike in the interest of national security and to safeguard the integrity of his administration.