Tension ripped through Gaduwa on November 11, 2025, when a routine land inspection by FCT Minister Nyesom Wike escalated into a gripping confrontation with naval officer Lieutenant A.M. Yerima, forcing President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to intervene and restore calm. What unfolded on that disputed parcel became a national conversation on uniformed authority, civilian power, and the fragile discipline holding Nigeria’s institutions together.
The drama intensified when Wike arrived with a full security convoy to inspect a site he insisted was originally designated as recreational land but allegedly converted for residential development without FCTA approval. Yerima, acting under orders to secure the land previously allocated to Santos Estate Limited, held his ground, insisting all documentation was valid. The clash escalated quickly, but the young officer’s now-viral response — “I’m an officer, I have my integrity… I am not a fool, you can’t shut me up” — transformed him into a national symbol of discipline under fire.
Documents later revealed a complex paper trail: a July 7, 2025 FCTA letter nullifying approvals for Park 161 and a May 17, 2022 subdivision approval for the 31-hectare Gaduwa land. These records reinforced Yerima’s position, though subsequent revocation reports fueled confusion and deepened public suspicion about Abuja’s land administration. The controversy triggered fierce debates across the country, dividing analysts, retired generals, civil society, and political leaders.
Security chiefs weighed in heavily. Former CDS Gen. Lucky Irabor warned that derogatory remarks toward uniformed officers undermine state authority, while former COAS Tukur Buratai called Wike’s outburst a “danger to national security.” Human rights advocate Deji Adeyanju praised Yerima’s restraint, asserting that FCTA’s history of arbitrary land revocations demanded caution. On the opposing side, APC chieftain Joe Igbokwe condemned the officer, alleging sabotage by individuals threatened by Wike’s reforms.
As the debate raged, attention turned to the Navy’s culture under Vice Admiral Awwal Gambo, whose tenure (2021–2023) was marked by historic anti-piracy achievements, fleet expansion and strict discipline — values many analysts say shaped Yerima’s conduct. Wike later addressed the media, insisting he held no grudge against the military, clarifying that “no officer should obey an illegal order” and cautioning journalists against sensationalism.
The storm finally settled after President Tinubu’s decisive behind-the-scenes intervention, which both sides quietly acknowledged as the stabilizing force that prevented an inter-agency crisis. By Thursday, the bulldozer stationed on the disputed site rolled away, prompting spontaneous applause from residents. That moment, small but symbolic, captured a country’s yearning for orderly governance anchored on institutions rather than raw power or personal might.
