FCT Minister Nyesom Wike and Naval Officer Yerima
The recent altercation between Nyesom Wike, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), and an Naval officer has once again exposed the fragile balance between civil authority and military discipline in Nigeria’s democratic setting.
What began as a brief scene of confrontation — widely circulated on social media — has evolved into a national debate about power, legality, and institutional respect. While many Nigerians viewed it as another political spectacle, the deeper issue is a constitutional and legal one: where do the powers of a minister end, and where do the rights and duties of a military officer begin?
Under Section 302 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), the President may delegate executive powers for the FCT to a Minister, who exercises similar authority as a state governor within the territory. This means Wike represents civil authority within the FCT, charged with enforcing administrative and development policies.
The Nigerian Navy, on the other hand, operates under Section 217 of the Constitution and the Armed Forces Act, which empower it to defend the nation and act in aid of civil authorities — but only when lawfully directed to do so. These constitutional provisions make one thing clear: the rule of law, not raw power, governs their interaction.
If the Naval officer acted in defiance of lawful civil orders, that would constitute a disciplinary offence under military law — specifically, insubordination or conduct prejudicial to good order. But if the Minister exceeded his legal mandate or used his position to intimidate or humiliate a soldier, such conduct could amount to abuse of office, a violation punishable under the Criminal Code and the Code of Conduct for Public Officers.
Unfortunately, both civil and military authorities in Nigeria have too often blurred these lines. What should be a matter of protocol becames a public confrontation, eroding institutional respect and public trust. This latest incident only reinforces the urgent need for clearer civil–military communication frameworks and legal awareness training for senior officials and officers alike.
The lesson is not about who shouted louder or who had more security aides. It is about the supremacy of law. Both the Minister and the Naval officer are public servants bound by constitutional order. Their authority, however vast, is legitimate only when exercised within the limits of law.
For Nigeria to deepen democratic governance, the rule of law must remain non-negotiable. Conflicts between civil and military actors should be addressed through institutional mechanisms, not public spectacle or political bravado. In the end, respect for process is what distinguishes democracy from arbitrariness.
Power, after all, is transient — but the law endures.
Gwar Terngu (Ph.D) is a researcher and writer on governance, policy, human rights, and conflict transformation based in Nigeria. terngugwar@gmail.com
