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Describes minister’s conduct as toxic, national disgrace
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From Laide Raheem, Abeokuta
The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has slammed the former Governor of Rivers State and the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, over his confrontation with a Navy officer, Lt. Yerima, at a construction site in Abuja.
NANS in a statement signed by the National Vice President on Inter-Campus and Gender Affairs, Akinbodunse Sileola Felicia, on Thursday, described the Minister’s outburst as not only toxic, but unwarranted and capable of causing catastrophe.
Wike, during an enforcement of a stop-work order at a landed property said to belong to a former Navy Chief, had engaged in a hot argument with Lt. Yerima, who stood guard at the site.
The FCT Minister in a video that went viral on several social media platforms and mainstream media, was heard raining expletives on the military officer, calling him a fool.
Repeated claims by Lt. Yerima that he was at the site on the order of his superior, failed to pacify the anger of the former governor.
NANS, however, slammed Wike and declared that his near bloody encounter was not only a national disgrace but international embarrassment.
Akinbodunse wondered how a Minister could throw decorum to the wind instead of leading by example, insisting the altercation could have escalated and led to exchange of gunfire between his security details and the military personnel on the site.
She said NANS learnt that Wike had earlier called the Chief of Defence Staff and reported that military personnel prevented officials of the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA) to enforce the stop-work order on the site.
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Akinbodunse added that the Minister could have allowed the CDS to intervene instead of him storming the site personally and causing chaos, an action she noted could have spiralled out of control.
She observed that if the Navy officer had not been professional and handled the insults with calmness during the encounter, the issue would not have been put under control.
She noted further that the fact that the former Chief of Army Staff, Tukur Yusufu Buratai, and Minister of Defence, Mohammed Badaru, condemned Wike over his action and backed the military officer, indicated the FCT Minister goofed.
“NANS views the action of the FCT Minister during an encounter with a military officer in Abuja as uncalled for, garrulous and unbecoming of a Minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Though the Minister by his office is the Numero Uno in charge of the FCT, his outburst against Lt. Yerima is not only toxic, but a national disgrace and international embarrassment to Nigeria.
“The student body learnt that Wike had earlier made a call to the CDS to report the matter to him. The best he could have done is to wait and allow the military chief to intervene instead of storming the scene with his own security details to enforce the stop-work order by the FCDA.
“If the altercation had not been maturely and professionally handled by the military officer, the grave consequences could be better imagined.
“NANS therefore condemns the action of the Minister; it is not only inimical to the national security, but a show of shame and unbridled arrogant display of power. We, however, urge President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to call Wike to order. His conduct was ungentlemanly and lacked decorum,” Akinbodunse stated in the statement.
While commending Lt. Yerima for his mien, calmness and display of military discipline during the encounter with the Minister, the NANS National Vice President on Inter-Campus and Gender Affairs, said Yerima should be awarded for his conduct in the face of provocation and protected from persecution.
