Am not a fool, I only obey orders.

[Dunamisx]

It's very wrong for the Navy officer to disrespect the minister,the minister is in power and is very wrong to talk to the minister in such manner

If you watch the video clip well from the link I posted, you will then understand what composure means and why the military officer deserves all the best in this whole situation, because they understand what it is to be under authority, while I don't even expect the Minister behavior in such manner, things like this shouldn't be addressed in public, instead see to the situation by himself by calling into order the Admiral involved.

now a strong bill has been pass to law but still debating on it that soilders should be answerable to government officials that we are not longer in military region where soilders take order directly from their seniors in the office or high rank but be answerable to government officials

Things like this can only be found in countries like Nigeria where law is not being enforced and people bend the rules, so the military are the ones to be humiliated right, they may not be in power right, but their own kind of order and discipline is incomparable to that in politics.

[Kiddo15]

~
Military and Politician,  who is Superior?

Neither of them, because both of them are supposed to serve their country, means they should see their people as superior ones.

Now come to the reality, politicians may not be in power for long time like an officer but they are the one who create laws so they can turn one thing upside down and can still call it legal because they can do it, while everyone in the country can only follow what is legal.

By virtue of the Nigerian constitution, the minister is the direct representative of the president, the president is the commander in chief of the armed forces, but in this case he has delegated that responsibility to the minister to oversee the FCT lands and property, so by chain of command the military is under the president and the minister is a direct appointee of the president, the naval lieutenant is supposed to answer to the minister because he's the one overseeing the properties of the federal Capital Territory as appointed by the commander in in Chief. The naval officer was supposed to answer to the minister by providing the documents allowing him to develop that land. But the mistake I see here is the minister calling a serving officer on duty a fool, the young man was only on duty, the minister would have called a higher authority asking them to leave that place and not directly confronting the naval officer and abusing him.

[Marykeller]

I've been following up with your individual contributions towards  this discussion and have seen a lot to take on as points of consideration on both sides, because they have sworn to serve and protect the interest of the people, seeing them in this act deplict their value.

Another to consider is in bringing personal affairs into political or public matters, let's take for instance I don't support a person, who also is in power, then I may try as much as possible to show or display the highest of my abilities to humiliate such person, only because he's not in good terms with me.

Who knows maybe they both have been dragging on this before the appearance on physical confrontation.

I don't think both had dragged each other before the physical confrontation happened.

The main cause of this is Wike trying to revoke the 30 hectares of land that was allocated to serving chiefs and military personnel. That's what Wike is trying to reallocate the 30 hectares of land to some political associates.
Source link: https://saharareporters.com/2025/11/11/exclusive-how-fct-minister-wike-revoked-30-hectares-land-owned-top-military-officers

You don't expect the military to stay calm to watch that happen without them reacting physically to it, for what was allocated to them given to other people without following a due process.

What Wike doesn't understand is that for him being the FCT minister doesn't give him the right to forcefully take the lands of people.

To this, I think Wike met the wrong people this time that won't succumb to his threat.

[Sarah Jordan]

That happenings is not about the matter of who is superior between a politician and a military officer.
As for me I didn't see any fault from the  military  personnel  cause he was only obeying orders from his superiors.
And we all know  military officers do not go against the orders of their superiors, because you're a politician.

I actually liked how the officer handled the issues. Wike should feel been oppressed too. He has done alot of oppressions
to people. He shouldn't go about grabbing lands from people anytime he likes.

[Dunamisx]

The main cause of this is Wike trying to revoke the 30 hectares of land that was allocated to serving chiefs and military personnel. That's what Wike is trying to reallocate the 30 hectares of land to some political associates.

You should know that affairs like this shouldn't be addressed in such a manner Wike used in approaching the situation, for relying our loud, this is not a land that was just allocated to an ordinary man, which am sure he was quite aware on how and who the land was given to before his agitation being the minister that there are no supporting documents and approvals over the land, his approach addressing the case shouldn't have gone in such a way, no one supported his behavior on that incident on how he reacted.

[AmaGold70]

A politician is a civilian in the country and has no power over a military personnel, the military officer answer to his superior alone so the politician was very wrong and he needs to take responsibility for disrespecting an officer on duty. The military personnel told the politician that he is s working under the command of his superior, from the video it's obvious that the politician is corrupt and wanted to use his power to oppress the officer but he failed. I applaud the military officer for standing his ground because these politicians always feel like they can get away with anything.

[Zlantann]

A politician is a civilian in the country and has no power over a military personnel, the military officer answer to his superior alone so the politician was very wrong and he needs to take responsibility for disrespecting an officer on duty. The military personnel told the politician that he is s working under the command of his superior, from the video it's obvious that the politician is corrupt and wanted to use his power to oppress the officer but he failed. I applaud the military officer for standing his ground because these politicians always feel like they can get away with anything.

Both of them represent the commander-in-chief of the armed forces, which is the president. The minister has the power to allocate land and also the power to revoke landed properties. Based on what I have read about the Nigerian land laws, the minister would have to get a court order to demolish a property.  So the minister was acting illegally, and he was too arrogant and sour. How would he call a military officer a fool and he had no right to shut him up. I am glad the young officer stood his ground and denied him access to the property. He should learn how to address issues civilly.

[uchegod-21]

None is superior over the other. Both the minister and the lieutenant have their specific powers which is not expected to interfere in the duties of the other. The lieutenant is not wrong for sticking to orders from his superior, it is the Minister who is wrong to have engaged in verbal confrontations instead of going through legal means to resolve the conflict and ensure that all issues patterning to the land are resolved. What is seen here is a total breakdown of procedures. I hope the minister learns from this.

[BADecker]

He really fooled those who gave the orders. By obeying the orders, they were fooled into believing that he was a fool. But he really wasn't

[Solodoski]

I don't think this issue between the FCT minister and the lieutenant should have escalated to that level, because the lieutenant is following an order from.his superior officer and I don't think their is anything the FCT minister would have done to back him disregard the order, because that's how it works with the military. The minister should have just asked who gave him the order and left without any altercation and then go settle it with his superior, but I think he just wants to show superiority.

[Roseline492]

This news was everywhere the day the incident happened and everybody admired the courage of the naval officer because they wish for all the military to see an example from him so that they wouldn't be use by those corrupt politicians, from the record of the minister is hard for him to let go that incident because he is a politician that doesn't like those kind of humiliation so only if the Nava officer come from a good background by having people that will speak for him if not they will manipulate what happened to make him look ugly, if the property was acquired legally why using the power of federal government to take the land.

[Agathamay]

~
Military and Politician,  who is Superior?

Neither of them, because both of them are supposed to serve their country, means they should see their people as superior ones.

This is not the logic in African countries. In Africa, the superior is the one who has more weapons and support from world major powers. People are never to be superior because they are manipulated to set (not elect) corrupt people as politicians, which are those in their turn nominate militaries.

In a country that respect its citizens, you would never see a military fighting a politicians, while both of them claim to represent the law and the willing of the people. Only in Africa you can see the army ruling the country and politicians playing the role traitorous agents working for foreign countries.

After a closer look at the case, I later discovered that, if there was anyone to be blamed then it should be the FCT minister because he over stepped and got so power intoxicated and thinks he’s above every other person.
I love his style of politics but the truth is that, he can never be right at all times but the reverse was the  case with the FCT minister who thinks his superior to everyone which is wrong

I do not know more about the military but I know that there’s a rule that they should always obey the last order and I think that is what the young officer did and in watching the video, the officer mentioned on who’s order he was standing and the right thing was to try to reach the officer that gave the order but the minister thought he would intimate but he got the perfect dose for himself

I love how calm the officer handled everything.

[caroasi]

Actual land owners don't need or ask for permission to build on their own property. Clearly the government, not the citizens, own land in every country I'm aware of.

[Ishicryptic]

A question of who is superior between the military and politicians shouldn't even arise because there is division of labor in a country, politicians rule while the military protects the sovereignty of the country. But it is a pity that many of the government officials overstep the limits of their positions and powers to intimidate fellow citizens.

In this perticular case the politician and the retired navy officer were at fault, the retired naval officer should have allowed due process to be followed to determine the authentic owner of the disputed property. When the politician got to the property and saw a military resistance for him to proceed he should have controlled himself knowing that the navy personells were following order from their superior. The only victim in the scenario was the young military officer that was insulted by the minister.

I heard that the minister Nyesom Wike, later denied that he insulted the young officer, something that everybody saw the video, this shows the type of politicians we have in Nigeria.

[Dunamisx]

He is the FCT minister, while the Military was on orders, remember that some do call some do call them zombies, that all they know is to obey the last command,    in such conditions, i don't expect that the FCT minister should make a public appearance to that site first, despite he has been sending policemen to stop work on the site and everything availed not, what he could have done is to investigate more on that land and engaged the audience of those in charge, whereas this is all about military affairs, he could have back off, because the land was given to them.

[Prosofina_G]

If only our politicians undergo some leadership training, honestly that ugly incident wouldn't have happened in such a reckless and annoying statement.
People really understand that you are the FCT MINISTER but that could not make you a God over people, my understanding about that saga is you don't see people as trash and don't always expect your opinion to over rull all the time, you can win a war if you understand what awaits you.
Every thing shouldn't be by commanding.

[Lida93]

~
Military and Politician,  who is Superior?

Neither of them, because both of them are supposed to serve their country, means they should see their people as superior ones.

Under the serving constitution there are situations that may arise which may prompt this superiority in tjr very context of the situation. I have watched in foreign movies where a matter may arise which the police might be there first to start handling the issue and another security department who ultimately ain't police department would ask the police to drop the case that it's put of their paycheck. That's for me a sign of superiority.

So I do assume that there must have to interplay a superiority level among the different security agencies or departments to avoid a clash in the course of command and duties. Although I mainly think in civil matters the police has power in taking charge over the military.

[Kavelj22]

~
Military and Politician,  who is Superior?

Neither of them, because both of them are supposed to serve their country, means they should see their people as superior ones.

This is not the logic in African countries. In Africa, the superior is the one who has more weapons and support from world major powers. People are never to be superior because they are manipulated to set (not elect) corrupt people as politicians, which are those in their turn nominate militaries.

In a country that respect its citizens, you would never see a military fighting a politicians, while both of them claim to represent the law and the willing of the people. Only in Africa you can see the army ruling the country and politicians playing the role traitorous agents working for foreign countries.

After a closer look at the case, I later discovered that, if there was anyone to be blamed then it should be the FCT minister because he over stepped and got so power intoxicated and thinks he’s above every other person.
I love his style of politics but the truth is that, he can never be right at all times but the reverse was the  case with the FCT minister who thinks his superior to everyone which is wrong

I do not know more about the military but I know that there’s a rule that they should always obey the last order and I think that is what the young officer did and in watching the video, the officer mentioned on who’s order he was standing and the right thing was to try to reach the officer that gave the order but the minister thought he would intimate but he got the perfect dose for himself

I love how calm the officer handled everything.

From a raisonable perspective, it's not obvious to determine who's right and who's wrong because in normal situation, their opinions should be converging. If someone willing to apply the law literally, and has to confront someone who is also responsible to apply the same law but can use his powerful authority to break those laws, we are in a system of chaos in which no doctrine can be applied as much as many are ready to abuse their powers in the way the like without taking accountability.

[Odusko]

The minister is right because he is the governor of the state at the moment and whatever issues related to land in the FCT should and will always come through him, this is the reason most times we see that people see him acting out of anger, because even the solder should be on duty and not guiding personnel properties when Nigeria is under attacks.

[Floxynice]

The minister is right because he is the governor of the state at the moment and whatever issues related to land in the FCT should and will always come through him, this is the reason most times we see that people see him acting out of anger, because even the solder should be on duty and not guiding personnel properties when Nigeria is under attacks.

You fail to understand that part of the duties of a soldier is the protection of lives and properties. The soldier was clearly on duty obeying orders.

Now, I am not concerned about who is right or wrong here, my concern is on the manner with which minister chose to handle the issue. It was so unprofessional and unconstitutional. It is wrong for him to have chosen verbal confrontation over legal procedures as the best means to tackle the situation. The minister has no issues with the soldier who was merely acting on orders,  who he has issues with is the one who gave the orders.  The minister should have resorted to legal means to see that the one occupying the land completes all processes for the land. The soldier is never a fool.