By Sandra Ugwu| 12th November 2025

A Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) and constitutional law expert, Prof. Sebastine Hon, has condemned the actions of Naval Officer A.M. Yerima in his recent clash with the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, describing them as a “breach of the law.”

In a post on Facebook, Hon faulted Yerima for obstructing Wike’s access to a disputed plot in Abuja, saying the act could not be justified under any lawful military order. He noted that while junior officers must obey superiors, this obligation does not extend to illegal or unjust directives, citing Supreme Court rulings that reinforce this principle.

“The illegality stems from the fact that no military service law permits an officer to guard a private construction site, especially under suspicious circumstances,” Hon said. He added that civil police should have been engaged if there were genuine security concerns.

Hon also stressed that as FCT Minister, Wike exercises the powers of the President over land administration in Abuja, making him the legitimate authority on the matter. “Even a superior officer would not be justified in obstructing him. The officer’s actions were an affront to civil authority,” he stated.

He warned that celebrating such behavior could embolden security personnel to disrespect civil authority, urging that offenders be held accountable.

The confrontation occurred on Tuesday at Plot 1946, Gaduwa District, Abuja, when Wike’s team attempted to enforce a stop-work order on a land lacking proper documentation. Video footage circulating online shows the FCT Minister and his team being blocked by uniformed personnel, leading to a heated exchange. Wike accused the military and developers of land grabbing and insisted he would not be intimidated.

“This is really unfortunate. I will not succumb to blackmail or intimidation,” Wike told reporters.