Wike receives apology from FCTA director over altercation with Naval officer Yerima
Wike receives apology from FCTA director over altercation with Naval officer Yerima
Azeez Ajibola Afolabi
The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has reacted to the viral confrontation between FCT Minister Nyesom Wike and armed naval personnel, expressing deep regret while maintaining that the disputed Gaduwa property was an illegal development.
At Thursday’s FCT Executive Committee meeting, senior officials outlined the events that led to the clash, stating that those linked to former Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Awwal Zubairu Gambo (rtd), had no lawful claim to the land. Director of Development Control, Tpl Mukhtar Galadima, opened with a public apology to the Minister.
He explained that during an October 17 routine inspection, officials discovered ongoing construction along the Southern Parkway corridor. When asked for approvals, naval officers reportedly responded with hostility and threatened to shoot.
Galadima said that when documents were eventually produced, they turned out to be only a 2007 letter of intent from the Department of Parks and Recreation, not a valid approval. He reminded the site officer that commencing development in the FCT without proper approval is illegal, yet work continued.
Due to the presence of armed personnel in threatening positions, he alerted the Minister and apologised again to Wike and Nigerians for the incident. Director of Lands Administration, Chijioke Nwankwoeze, added that a letter of intent cannot confer land ownership.
He stressed that only a statutory right of occupancy is recognised in the FCT, and the claimants also failed to meet development conditions or obtain building plan approval.
Both officials insisted that, despite the unfortunate public altercation, their enforcement actions were in full compliance with the FCT Act of 1976 and the Urban and Regional Planning Law of 1992, aimed at protecting Abuja’s master plan.
