Buratai: Wike’s verbal assault on soldier undermines national security — he must apologise

Tukur Buratai, former chief of army staff, has criticised Nyesom Wike, minister of the federal capital territory (FCT), over a face-off with military personnel over a disputed plot of land.

On Tuesday, videos surfaced online showing Wike in a heated argument with military personnel at a site in Abuja, the nation’s capital.

In a statement, Buratai said the incident poses a clear “threat to national security” and requires an “immediate and serious response”.

“His public disparagement of a uniformed officer of the Nigerian Armed Forces transcends mere misconduct; it represents a palpable threat to national security and institutional integrity,” the statement reads.

“A minister’s verbal assault on a military officer in uniform is an act of profound indiscipline that strikes at the core of our nation’s command and control structure.

“It deliberately undermines the chain of command, disrespects the authority of the Commander-in-Chief, and grievously wounds the morale of every individual who serves under the Nigerian flag.

“Such actions erode the very foundation of discipline upon which our national security apparatus stands.

“This cannot be dismissed as political theatre. It is a reckless endangerment of national order. This action by Wike is clearly an indication of undermining the federal government’s authority.”

Buratai asked Wike to immediately issue an apology to President Bola Tinubu as the commander-in-chief of the armed forces of Nigeria, and the officer “whose honour was violated”.

“Our nation’s security must come first. It is time for decisive action, not politics of military bashing. The integrity of our Armed Forces demands nothing less,” Buratai said.