Former Chief of Army Staff and ex-Nigerian Ambassador to the Republic of Benin, Lieutenant General Tukur Yusuf Buratai (rtd), has demanded and apology from the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Barrister Nyesom Wike.
According to him, the confrontation with a military officer amounts to a threat to national security.
In a strongly worded statement posted on his verified Facebook page, Buratai condemned the reported incident of November 11, 2025, during which the minister confronted a uniformed officer of the Nigerian Armed Forces in public.
According to the former Army Chief, such conduct “transcends mere misconduct” and “represents a palpable threat to national security and institutional integrity.”
“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,” Buratai stated.
He argued that Wike’s verbal attack on the officer “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.”
Buratai, who led the Nigerian Army between 2015 and 2021, warned that the incident should not be dismissed as “political theatre,” but viewed as “reckless endangerment of national order.”
He further accused Wike of undermining the authority of the Federal Government, insisting that the minister must offer an “immediate and unequivocal public apology” to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the Nigerian Armed Forces, and the officer allegedly insulted.
His statement reads
‘’URGENT ACTION REQUIRED AS MINISTER WIKE’S CONDUCT POSES A CLEAR THREAT TO NATIONAL SECURITY
The events of November 11, 2025, involving the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Barrister Nyesom Wike, demand 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.
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 can not 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.
Consequently, Barrister Nyesom Wike must tender an immediate and unequivocal public apology to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu as Commander-in-Chief, the entire Armed Forces of Nigeria, and the specific 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. ‘’
