A Nigerian Navy officer, Lt. A.M. Yarima, who recently clashed with the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, reportedly escaped an assassination attempt on Sunday evening in Abuja.
Military sources disclosed that Yarima was trailed by unidentified men dressed in black and riding in two unmarked Hilux vans. The vehicles allegedly followed him from the NIPCO Filling Station off the Line Expressway to Gado Nasco Way.
The officer, upon noticing the suspicious surveillance, was said to have executed a “strategic maneuver” that enabled him to evade the suspected assailants. The incident occurred around 6:30 p.m., according to the source.
Authorities have opened an investigation into the matter, with the source noting that details are being withheld to avoid compromising ongoing processes.
The development follows a widely circulated confrontation between Lt. Yarima and FCT Minister Wike at a disputed land site in the Gaduwa District. The clash, captured on video, generated national debate and led to a presidential directive suspending demolition activities at the site.
Military veterans across the country have since condemned the Minister’s verbal outburst toward the officer and rejected calls for disciplinary action against Yarima.
Spokesman for the Coalition of Retired Veterans, Abiodun Durowaiye-Herberts, warned that ex-service members would “occupy the office and residence of the FCT Minister” if any sanctions were imposed on the officer. He emphasised that members of the armed forces swear loyalty to the nation, not to individual officeholders, and called on Wike to apologise for his remarks.
Minister of Defence, Mohammad Badaru Abubakar, has also assured that no military personnel acting within the law will be punished over the Gaduwa incident.
“We will always protect officers on lawful duty,” he said during a briefing for the 2026 Armed Forces Remembrance Day celebrations. “Any officer carrying out his work lawfully will be defended.”
Veterans had earlier vowed to mobilise nationwide if Yarima faced any disciplinary action.