Lt. A.M. Yerima, a young Nigerian Navy officer who recently had a tense confrontation with Federal Capital Territory Minister Nyesom Wike, reportedly escaped an assassination attempt on Sunday evening.
Military sources told Vanguard that Yerima was trailed by unidentified men dressed in black in two unmarked Hilux vans with no number plates, following him from the NIPCO Filling Station off Kubwa Expressway to Gado Nasco Way.
The officer reportedly noticed the surveillance and executed a “strategic maneuver,” successfully evading the suspected assailants. The incident occurred around 6:30 p.m., and authorities have confirmed that the matter is under investigation, with further details withheld to avoid compromising the process.
The development comes days after Yerima, while on duty with other security personnel, clashed with Minister Wike over a disputed land site in Gaduwa District. The confrontation, captured on video, sparked nationwide debate and led to intervention from the Presidency, which halted the demolition exercise at the site.
Military veterans have criticized Wike for verbally insulting the officer and rejected calls for disciplinary action against Yerima. Abiodun Durowaiye-Herberts, spokesman for the Coalition of Retired Veterans, warned that ex-service members would “occupy the office and residence of the FCT Minister” if Yerima faced any punishment. He stressed that military personnel owe allegiance to Nigeria—not individual public officials—and insisted Wike must apologise. “How can a public office holder call an officer ‘a fool’ on camera?” he asked, noting that such conduct undermines national institutions.
Minister of Defence Mohammad Badaru Abubakar assured that no military personnel acting lawfully would be sanctioned over the altercation. “We will always protect officers and our armed forces personnel on lawful duty,” he said during a ministerial briefing for the 2026 Armed Forces Remembrance Day celebrations at the National Defence College. “Any officer on lawful duty will be protected if he is doing his job lawfully and doing it well.”
Veterans had earlier vowed to mobilize and occupy the FCT Ministry if Lt. Yerima faced any form of disciplinary action, reflecting continued support for the officer and his conduct during the confrontation.
