Wike had arrived at the location with officials of the Federal Capital Territory Development Authority for an inspection when armed personnel halted his convoy at the entrance. The minister, visibly angered by the standoff, confronted the soldiers, demanding to know why he was being blocked.
At one point, Wike lashed out at one of the officers, calling him a fool. The soldier, however, maintained his composure and replied that he was not. Security operatives in the minister’s team attempted to intervene and appealed to the soldiers to allow Wike through, but their efforts fell flat.
The soldiers insisted they were acting on “orders from above,” refusing to yield despite the minister’s protests.
“We can’t continue encouraging impunity. This is not how a country should be run,” Wike fumed, accusing the soldiers of trying to use their uniforms and firearms to intimidate government officials and citizens.
He questioned why the individual behind the obstruction chose not to formally contact his office, describing the situation as an abuse of power.
“You cannot be above the government. You cannot use a gun to intimidate anybody. I’m not one of those who will bend to blackmail,” he declared.
The confrontation ended without the minister gaining access to the land, raising fresh concerns about power tussles between civilian authorities and military operatives within the FCT.