Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle, has assured that Lieutenant Ahmad Yerima, the naval officer captured in a viral video engaging in a heated exchange with the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Nyesom Wike will not be punished.
According to him, the officer did not break any law.
Matawalle made his position known while speaking in an interview with DCL Hausa, according to Leadership Newspaper.
The Minister assured that the officer will not face any disciplinary action, stating that the Lieutenant was respectful while speaking with Wike.
Recall that there has been concerns over possible sanctions against officer Yerima after a video of his confrontation with Wike went viral on Tuesday.
Wike had visited a disputed plot of land in Gaduwa District allegedly belonging to a former Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Awwal Zubairu Gambo (rtd) but was stopped by the naval officer, leading to a heated exchange.
Addressing the matter, Matawalle said the incident would have occurred if it was handled through proper channels.
“The minister should not have confronted him. Lieutenant Yerima was acting on orders. If Wike had any concerns, he should have spoken to his superiors or to me directly since I oversee naval affairs,” Matawalle said.
The Minister commended Yerima’s composure during the confrontation, describing his conduct as disciplined and professional.
“You can clearly see that he was respectful while standing his ground. As far as we are concerned, he did not break any law or military regulation.
“This whole situation was avoidable. Before the minister went there, he had already spoken with the Chief of Defence Staff and the Chief of Naval Staff, who assured him that the matter would be looked into,” Matawalle added.
