The Senior Special Assistant on Public Communications and Social Media to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, Lere Olayinka, has explained the cause of the face-off between his principal and some military officers allegedly involved in land grabbing.

Naija News reports that Wike and some military personnel were involved in a face-off on Tuesday, after the Minister was denied access to the land in contention.

However, during an interview on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily on Wednesday, Olayinka disclosed that the owner of the land, former Chief of Naval Staff Vice Admiral, Awal Gambo, was scammed by the company that had originally allocated the land.

According to him, the former Naval Staff Vice Admiral, instead of seeking help to resolve the land dispute, resorted to using military force.

He said, “That particular land was allocated to a company in 2007, Santos Estate Limited for park and recreation. The company did not do anything on the land because that place is a parkway, is a walkway, is a road corridor. You don’t build there.

“Then in 2022, the company wrote to the FCTA, the Minister I want approval from you to convert the purpose to commercial, from park, to build park. You know what park is? Not permanent structures. Probably in anticipation of the Minister’s approval for conversion.

“The man decided to partition the land allocated to him for park and recreation, he now partitioned the land and sold to people including the former chief of Naval Staff.

And that is why I want to say here that the former Chief of Naval Staff was scammed, he was scammed. And he has realized that he was scammed. Instead of him to now come out and seek help, he resorted to use military might.

“Now, in 2022, the Minister of FCT declined that request. Did not grant the request for change of land use made by that company. That is where it ended. But he had already sold the land to people. Giving them the impression that the land use will change.”

Olayinka also faulted the military officer who denied Wike access, claiming that he was obeying orders.

He said, “I saw the military officer yesterday telling us that he was acting on order, and I’ve also read online that a military man should obey the last order. And I’ve asked myself, which order? Like the Minister also asked yesterday which order?

“You obeyed the last order, yes but that order has to be lawful, the order has to be reasonable. For instance, if I am a military officer and my superior gives me an order to go and shoot somebody, or let’s say my boss gives me an order to go and rape my daughter, will I obey the order because the order is coming from my superior?

“Or because somebody is dragging a girlfriend with my superior and that superior now sees this person dragging girlfriend with him walking on the street, and he says, shoot this person, because it is an order, I should obey it.

A military man should go and mount guard in a public building under construction, that is the issue here. Building under construction, military men that was reposted to the former Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Awal Gambo, as his personal security detail, to secure him, to guard him, to protect him. He now chose to make himself vulnerable and send those people on that errand.

“It’s like somebody now there, I have security to protect me. And I now choose to send them to go and be protecting my property that is under construction. I don’t seem to get it.”

The Department of State Services (DSS) has filed a six-count charge against Innocent Chukwuemeka Onukwume for allegedly advocating for a military coup in the country.

Naija News reports that the DSS, in the charge, filed before the Federal High Court in Abujja, marked: FHC/ABJ/CR/610/2025, said Onukwume, of Umusayo Layout, Oyigbo LGA of Rivers State, allegedly committed the offence in October 2025.

In the charge filed on Tuesday, the DSS stated that by his conduct, Onukwume committed offences contrary to and punishable under Sections 46 A (1) and 59 (1) of the Criminal Code Act.

According to Zagazola Makama, Onukwume would be arraigned before the end of the week.

Some counts in the charge read:

“That you, Innocent Chukwuemeka Onukwume, male, 27 years old of Umusayo Layout, Oyigbo LGA of Rivers State, sometimes in October, 2025 having the intent to cause fear and alarm to the public or to disturbing the public peace, posted a message calling for a coup in Nigeria on your social media account to wit: your verified X account (@theagroman), by which you published the following words: “A coup in Nigeria is needed. Dispose of APC, suspend the Nigeria government and join the AES. That is all we need now.’ You thereby committed an offence punishable under section 59 (1) of the Criminal Code Act, Cap 77, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.

That you, Innocent Chukwuemeka Onukwume, male, 27 years old of Umusayo Layout, Oyigbo LGA of Rivers State, on or about 15th day of October, 2025 and within the jurisdiction of this honorable court, with intent to cause annoyance, inconvenience, danger, obstruction, insult, enmity, criminal intimidation, hatred, ill will or needless anxiety, against the government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, knowingly and intentionally posted a message on the social media via your verified account, to wit: your verified X account (@theagroman), by which you published the following words: ‘It will happen eventually, Nigerian. The military needs your support now! Only them can save this country. The bastard in Aso Rock has basically sold this country to the West and they run our intelligence apparatus only the military can reset this country.’ You thereby committed an offence Contrary to Section 24 (1) (b) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act, 2024 (As Amended).

That you, Innocent Chukwuemeka Onukwume, male, 27 years old of Umusayo Layout, Oyigbo LGA of Rivers State, on or about 15th day of October, 2025 and within the jurisdiction of this honorable court, with intent to cause annoyance, inconvenience, danger, obstruction, insult, enmity, criminal intimidation, hatred, ill will, or needless anxiety, against the government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, knowingly and intentionally posted a message on the social media via your verified account, to wit: your verified X account| (@theagroman), by which you published the following words: “Tinubu has to go and APC has to die for Nigeria to have any semblance of normal life. And if you think your stupid, votes can remove Tinubu. I’m here to tell you that you’re a fool.’ You thereby committed an offence Contrary to Section 24 (1) (b) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act, 2024 (As Amended).

That you, Innocent Chukwuemeka Onukwume, male, 27years old of Umusayo Layout, Oyigbo LGA of Rivers State, on or about 15th day of October, 2025 and within the jurisdiction of this honorable court, with intent to cause annoyance, inconvenience, danger, obstruction, insult, enmity, criminal intimidation, hatred, ill will, or needless anxiety, against the government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, knowingly and intentionally posted a message on the social media via your. verified account, to wit: your verified X account (@theagroman), by which you published the following words: “A coup in Nigeria is needed. Dispose of APC, suspend the Nigeria Government and join the AES. That is all we need now.’ You thereby committed an offence Contrary to Section 24 (1) (b) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act, 2024 (As Amended).”

A Civil Society Group has slammed the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, over his altercation with a military officer over the demolition of a property belonging to an ex-Chief of Naval Staff.

Naija News reports that the Executive Director of the Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC), Auwal Musa Rafsanjani, in an interview with the Daily Trust, asserted that Wike, through his conduct, disgraced public office.

Rafsanjani stated that Wike’s actions portray governance in a negative light and could erode public confidence in government institutions.

He said, “I think Wike has disgraced public office. You cannot come and be doing thuggery as a public official. There should be a civilized way of handling things.

In my opinion, what Wike has done by insulting a Nigerian Army officer is very disrespectful. To be seizing land; I don’t think that is what the president has assigned him to do. We are calling on the president to seriously caution Wike for his behavior because he is ruining the reputation of the office of a minister.

“This is not how to govern. We have had several ministers in Abuja; nobody has done this kind of thing. You can do things in a very civilized way.”

Rafsanjani also referenced allegations by Senator Ireti Kingibe and others that Wike had been reallocating lands to cronies.

According to the civil society advocate, the Minister’s behaviour was unacceptable and called on President Bola Tinubu to caution him.

He added, “Seizing people’s land that they acquired legitimately and allocating it to your own friends, as alleged by the FCT Senator and others, is not good for the government. Therefore, we are calling on Mr. President to caution Wike. The way and manner he carries out his duties is not promoting the good work of the government or the Presidency.

“This work should be done with civility and due process. You cannot come and be doing this garagara to the extent of insulting Army officers who were instructed to be there. They didn’t go by themselves, and they told him that.”