By Collins Nkwocha

The Prophetic Hall of Fame, prophet Godwin Ikuru of Jehovah Eye Salvation Ministry, Lagos has commended the Naval officer for standing tall and defending the image the military against the FCT minister,Nysom Wike.

Speaking to newsmen in Lagos today,the prophet argued that he lived in the Barracks and understands the operations of the military “that young Naval officer, Lt Yerima should be promoted because in the military,you must obey the last order,you dare not disobey the order of your boss, the military man that led the troop was acting on the order of his superior that was why he stood against Wike,he was acting on an order and he confirmed it,he has my blessings for the gallant and courageous display,he should be commended and promoted because this is the kind of person the Nigeria military needs, someone that is not perturbed by situations or circumstances, someone that is not overwhelmed by class and position, someone that is dependable, reliable and trustworthy, these are the attributes we need from our military personnel “.

He insisted that for us to get the best from our military,we need people with unquestionable loyalty just like the young Naval officer,Lt Yerima.

By Prince Adeyemi Shonibare

Abuja, Tuesday 11 November 2025 –

The dramatic face-off between Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike, and a junior military officer in the Gaduwa district of Abuja has once again exposed the lingering shadow of military impunity that still hovers over Nigeria’s democracy. More than twenty-five years after the nation’s return to civilian rule, Nigerians should not still be subjected to the spectacle of uniformed men confronting elected or appointed civilian officials in the line of lawful duty. That dark era of decrees and intimidation should have been long buried with the departure of military rule in 1999. Yet, what the country witnessed on that fateful Tuesday was a confrontation that symbolised a troubling question: Are we truly free of the vestiges of military arrogance?

Let us be reminded that the Minister was not visiting a barracks, nor encroaching upon a restricted zone. He was performing his duty within the constitutional boundaries of the FCT Administration — an office that directly represents the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. To obstruct him was not to challenge Mr. Wike the man, but to defy the office of the President and the authority of the Nigerian State.

“Even if you are a lieutenant-general or vice admiral, the government must function according to law,” Wike reminded them.

The junior officer’s refusal to allow the Minister access to government-controlled land, and the arrogance with which he responded, was an act of insubordination dressed in khaki. Nigeria’s Constitution leaves no ambiguity: the military is subordinate to civilian authority.

There must be clarity about where true authority lies. Nyesom Wike has been a Local Government Chairman, Chief of Staff, two-term Governor, Minister, and is presently the President’s appointed representative in the nation’s capital. The retired General allegedly connected to the disputed land may have worn stars on his shoulders, but no number of medals elevates one above the laws of the Republic. As for the young Lieutenant who confronted him — by service equivalence, he ranks at best with a local councillor, certainly not a peer of a federal minister. When such a junior officer obstructs the lawful work of a minister, it is not only bad conduct; it borders on institutional rebellion.

The broader concern is the creeping return of militarism into civil space. On the roads of Abuja, citizens still endure the swagger of armed men who treat uniforms as licences for lawlessness. The Gaduwa episode was therefore not an isolated quarrel — it was a symbol of a deeper problem: the failure of some officers, serving and retired, to mentally demobilise from the habits of absolute power. If democracy must survive, discipline must begin from the barracks. The Chief of Army Staff and the Defence Headquarters owe the nation an inquiry and, where necessary, disciplinary measures. Silence in the face of such misconduct only emboldens future defiance.

The land at the centre of the dispute reportedly links to retired top officers and large-scale private development. If that claim is true, it raises critical questions: Was the plot legitimately allocated? How did a public green zone become a private estate? What is the source of the funds involved? These are not questions of sentiment but of transparency and accountability. The FCT Administration must publish a detailed account of the land’s ownership and revoke any illegal claim. Impunity, no matter the rank of those involved, must not be permitted to thrive.

Those cheering the officers for confronting Wike should reflect on the dangerous precedent it sets. Today it is Wike; tomorrow, it may be a governor, a minister, or any civilian official. A nation that normalises defiance against constituted authority invites chaos. Wike represents the President; thus, to insult or obstruct him in his lawful duty is to insult the office of the Commander-in-Chief himself. This was not merely a personal affront; it was an institutional challenge that touches the very soul of Nigeria’s democratic order.

Nigeria must draw a line between military service and civil governance. The military’s nobility lies in its obedience to lawful authority, not in defiance of it. We must resist any drift back to the era of decrees and intimidation. The rule of law must be upheld — not by words but by consequence. The FCT incident should serve as a reminder that power in a democracy is not measured by rank but by constitutional mandate. Those who bear arms do so under the authority of the Republic, not above it. No Nigerian, big or small, soldier or civilian, should ever stand in the way of lawful governance. This confrontation must be treated not as a spectacle but as a warning — that the endurance of our democracy depends on everyone, in and out of uniform, submitting to the rule of law. The Constitution, not the gun, remains the ultimate authority in the Republic.

Perspective from Ayanfejesu Kiaz

But honestly, wit the kind of citizens we are, we don’t deserve a better nation.
Our sense of right and wrong changes wit our emotions and who’s involved.
When the powerful use soldiers outside their lawful duty to oppress ordinary citizens, we all shout, protest, and cry foul.
But now dat those same soldiers are being used to intimidate the FCT Minister, the chief executive of the capital city, from doing his lawful job, suddenly, bcos you dislike Wike, the soldiers have become heroes
Not in our Constitution or the Military Act dat says soldiers have any role in land protection or civil disputes.
This selective outrage is our real problem.
When wrong becomes right bcos it favors our bias, the nation sinks deeper.
In the end, we’ll all be alright, just not as we handle situations.

© Ayanfejesu Kiaz

The family of late Nasiru Semiu, a bricklayer allegedly killed by suspected land grabbers in Sagamu, Ogun State, has called on the Inspector General of Police, Nigeria Police Force, to urgently intervene and bring the perpetrators to justice.

According to a petition written by the family’s solicitors on behalf of Haruna Parakoyi, Yinusa Parakoyi, Adewale Parakoyi, Azeez Waliu, Lasisi Abiodun, and Oyedele Reuben, the attack occurred on October 30, 2025, at Ajeregun Village, Konigbagbe, Sagamu, Ogun State, when a group of armed men allegedly invaded the community, shooting sporadically and terrorising residents.

The petition listed the alleged assailants as Aboki Owoeye, Bayo Bisuga, Gbadebo Bisuga, Kehinde Ifeloju Adeshina, Idowu Dosumu, Sola Okunore, Taye Oluwo, Dada Oposu, Akeem (also known as West), Christ White, Hammed Olorunfemi, Gebu Seidu, Oscar and others. The group was accused of carrying out the invasion using firearms and other dangerous weapons, leaving several residents injured and one person dead.

The deceased, Nasiru Semiu, was said to have been a hardworking bricklayer contracted by Oyedele Reuben one of the petitioners to work on a plot of land legally purchased from the Parakoyi family. During the attack, Semiu was reportedly shot in the hand and stomach and later rushed to Shotubo Divisional Police Headquarters, before being referred to Ogun State University Teaching Hospital (OSUTH) for treatment.

Due to the ongoing industrial strike at OSUTH, he was later transferred to God’s Own Hospital, Ogijo, where he was placed on life support in the Intensive Care Unit. Despite efforts to save his life, Semiu succumbed to his injuries on November 5, 2025.

The family’s lawyers described the incident as “a barbaric and senseless killing of an innocent man,” adding that the victim was neither a land grabber nor a cultist, but “a peace-loving, hardworking artisan whose only crime was to earn a living.” The petition further alleged that the attackers carted away the deceased’s motorcycle and mobile phone after the assault.

The incident, according to the petition, has thrown Ajeregun Village into panic, forcing residents—both young and old—to flee their homes for fear of further attacks. The family is now pleading with the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, and other security agencies to swiftly investigate the matter and ensure justice is served.

“We are calling on the Nigeria Police Force and all relevant authorities to intervene urgently and bring these criminals to book,” the petition read. “Our community is under siege by these land grabbers who continue to kill, maim, and destroy lives without fear.”

The petition also urged the federal and Ogun State governments to take decisive steps in addressing the growing menace of land grabbing and cult-related violence in Sagamu and other parts of the state. The remains of Nasiru Semiu have since been deposited in the mortuary as investigations continue.

In a related reaction, Mr. Akanni Awokoya from Oyewole Bakere in Isagamu, Ogun State, narrated the painful ordeal, saying the community has been living in fear since the attack. “We were inside our farm when a group of armed men suddenly stormed in, beating people and causing chaos. We managed to escape and hide, only to hear gunshots and the cries of a young bricklayer who was returning from work and was killed. Since then, they have continued to sell our lands, beat, maim, and even kill us just to take over our inheritance. We can identify those behind these attacks, and we are pleading with the Nigerian government and security agencies to save us before more lives are lost.”