Tensions flared in Abuja on Friday as the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, reportedly clashed with military officers during an inspection visit to a parcel of land claimed by both the FCT Administration and the Nigerian military.
According to eyewitness accounts, the confrontation occurred when the minister’s team arrived at the site to enforce a demolition and reclaim what the FCT administration described as “encroached government property.” However, military personnel stationed in the area resisted the action, insisting that the land was duly allocated for defense purposes.
Sources said the situation escalated into a heated exchange between Wike and the officers before senior security officials intervened to calm both sides.
The disputed land, located around the Asokoro and Maitama axis, has been a subject of controversy for months, with both parties laying claim to ownership.
In recent months, Minister Wike has launched an aggressive campaign against land racketeering and illegal allocations in the FCT, warning that no individual or institution—no matter how powerful—would be above the law.
Security operatives were later deployed to the area to prevent further confrontation. As of press time, both the FCT Administration and the Nigerian Army have yet to issue official statements on the matter.