Details of Conversation between FCT minister Wike and Naval Officer Emerge.

A heated verbal confrontation erupted on Tuesday between the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, and an unidentified uniformed officer during a visit to a disputed estate in the Gaduwa area of Abuja.

Video of the incident shows Wike accusing the officer and soldiers guarding the site of obstructing the FCT Administration’s work and laying claim to the parcel of land.

In the exchange, Wike orders the officer to “shut up,” calls him “a big fool,” and repeatedly reminds him that he was already in school long before the officer was born. The officer responded that he would not be shut up, insisting he was “an officer” acting on instructions and that he had integrity.

The altercation occurred amid intensified FCT efforts to clamp down on alleged illegal land allocations and encroachments in the capital.

Multiple news outlets say the minister’s convoy was briefly blocked at the site before the verbal clash, which has since been widely shared on social media. Officials from the FCTA and military sources were yet to release matching public statements at the time of reporting.

BREAKING: The Akwa Ibom State Government has revoked all land allocations made since Governor Umo Eno assumed office in May 2023, including government-acquired lands.

Source: Nigeria stories

Reports of land allocation to Wike’s children ‘sponsored bl+ckmail’ — Lere Olayinka.

Lere Olayinka, Senior Special Assistant on Public Communications to FCT Minister Nyesom Wike, has dismissed reports claiming the Minister allocated 2,082 hectares of land in Abuja’s Maitama and Asokoro districts to his children.

He described the allegations as “sponsored bl+ckmail” that has failed to gain traction. The reports, which surfaced on June 26, alleged that Wike gifted large parcels of land to his son. But Olayinka, in a statement on Tuesday, insisted the claims were based on misrepresented documents.

He clarified that the referenced land was actually in Bwari Area Council and allocated to JOAQ Farms—an entity with no ties to the Minister’s family. “There’s not even that much land available in Maitama and Asokoro combined. The propaganda is built on lies and misuse of official documents,” he stated.

He also addressed a second claim linking another company, Jordan Farms, to Wike’s son. Olayinka affirmed that the company is independent and unrelated to the Minister’s children.

“It’s the right of the Minister’s children, friends, or associates to own land anywhere in the country, as long as it’s legally acquired. But so far, no land has been allocated to any of Wike’s children,” he said.

He criticized efforts to link names like Jordan Farms or Jordan Foods to the Minister’s family, calling it absurd. “Is every business with ‘Jordan’ in its name now owned by Wike’s son?” he asked.

On allegations involving documents bearing a security aide’s name, Olayinka questioned the logic: “If I help a friend collect documents, does that make me the owner?”

He attributed the accusations to political opponents unsettled by Wike’s stance on power rotation. “Let that fellow from Adamawa who keeps att+cking the Minister try harder,” he said. “This smear campaign failed before it even started.”

Wike Reclaims 7,000 Hectares from University of Abuja, Reduces Land Allocation.
The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has reclaimed 7,000 hectares of land from the University of Abuja, reducing the institution’s landholding from 11,000 to 4,000 hectares in the Giri District.

Wike, speaking during the commissioning of newly constructed access roads in the area, accused the university of illegally occupying and fencing off large portions of land without proper documentation.

"The University grabbed 11,000 hectares without any document. That cannot continue," Wike said. "You see them fencing everything, and before long, they start selling off our land."

He directed the FCTA’s Director of Lands and other relevant agencies to formalize a reduced 4,000-hectare allocation to the university, with the remaining land earmarked for planned development projects.

Wike emphasized that the land recovery was part of his broader strategy to accelerate infrastructure and urban development in the district. He also revealed that internal road construction within the area would soon begin, stating:
“Now that we’ve opened access roads, we've instructed the Executive Secretary of the FCDA to begin planning for internal roads. In another year, this district will look completely different.”

The minister also announced plans to collaborate with the National Assembly to establish new institutions in the district, with the FCTA ready to provide land support for their development.

He added that the newly completed access road would enable the EFCC Academy in the district to begin full operations.
“They now have access roads to move in equipment and begin development. This will encourage others to invest and build in the area,” he said.

Highlighting how lack of infrastructure often discourages land development, Wike promised to provide essential amenities such as roads, water, and electricity to attract investment and promote growth.

“When you allocate land without infrastructure, development stalls. We’ll do our part to ensure basic facilities are in place,” he assured.

Urgent Call: South-East Governors Must Halt Land Allocations to Armed Herdsmen and Jihadist Elements

A recent report by the International Society for Civil Liberties and Rule of Law (Intersociety) has raised alarms over the occupation of approximately 950 locations across the South-East region by armed herdsmen and jihadist groups. These areas, predominantly forests, have become operational bases for criminal activities, including kidnapping and violence against local communities. 

The report implicates certain state authorities in facilitating this occupation by issuing land certificates to these groups, allegedly in exchange for political support. This practice has been linked to the increasing insecurity and displacement of indigenous populations in the region.

Intersociety’s findings indicate that about 40% of the 1,940 communities in the South-East are under significant threat from these groups. The organization urges immediate action from state governments to revoke any land allocations made to armed herdsmen and to implement stringent security measures to protect the affected communities. 

#SecureSouthEast #StopLandAllocations