Defence Minister pledges protection for Soldiers on lawful duty amid Wike confrontation

Minister of Defence, Mohammed Badaru, has assured that the federal government and military leadership will continue to safeguard all officers carrying out their duties within the law.

Speaking in Abuja on Wednesday during a ministerial press briefing ahead of the 2026 Armed Forces Remembrance Day, Badaru addressed the recent confrontation between Nyesom Wike, Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), and some military officers allegedly acting on the orders of a former Chief of Naval Staff.

“At the ministry, and indeed in the armed forces, we will always protect our officers on lawful duty,” Badaru said, according to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN). “We are looking into this issue, and we assure you that any officer on lawful duty will be highly protected. We will not allow anything to happen to him as long as he is doing his job, and he is doing it very well.”

The assurance comes after videos surfaced online on Tuesday showing Wike engaging in a heated exchange with military personnel at a construction site. In the footage, Wike is seen attempting to calm the situation while demanding to see the official approval documents for the land in question.

One of the soldiers, who appeared to lead the group, denied any form of intimidation, stating that the property owner possessed all required documents.

“On the contrary, sir, we are not intimidating anybody. The papers are complete, and he said he has submitted them,” the soldier said.

The incident has stirred widespread reactions across social media, with Nigerians calling for clarity on the military’s involvement in the dispute and the true ownership of the contested land.