Former Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai (rtd), has called for immediate action against the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Barr. Nyesom Wike, following his reported verbal altercation with a uniformed officer of the Nigerian Armed Forces on Tuesday, November 11, 2025.
In a strongly worded statement issued on Tuesday, Buratai described the minister’s conduct as “a clear threat to national security and institutional integrity,” warning that such actions undermine discipline and the authority of the Commander-in-Chief.
According to him, “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.”
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The retired general said the incident “deliberately undermines the chain of command, disrespects the authority of the Commander-in-Chief, and wounds the morale of every individual who serves under the Nigerian flag.”
Buratai urged Minister Wike to issue a public apology to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the Armed Forces, and the officer involved in the altercation.
“This cannot be dismissed as political theatre,” he said. “It is a reckless endangerment of national order. Our nation’s security must come first. It is time for decisive action, not politics of military bashing.”
The retired army chief emphasized that maintaining respect for the military’s command structure is essential to preserving Nigeria’s internal cohesion and national stability.
As of the time of filing this report, the FCT Administration and the Ministry of Defence had yet to issue official responses to the development.
