Lt. Yarima survives suspected assassination attempt after clash with Wike
A Nigerian Navy officer, Lieutenant A.M. Yerima, who recently had a confrontation with the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Nyesom Wike, has reportedly escaped an attempt on his life in Abuja.
According to military insiders, the officer was trailed on Sunday evening by unknown men clad in black and moving in two unmarked Hilux vehicles without number plates. The suspicious convoy allegedly followed him from the NIPCO Filling Station along the Line Expressway to the Gado Nasco area.
Realising he was being monitored, Lt. Yerima was said to have carried out a tactical manoeuvre that enabled him to break away from the suspected attackers. The incident happened around 6:30 p.m. and has since been reported to the appropriate military authorities.
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Sources said the case is under active investigation, with officials maintaining tight secrecy to avoid jeopardising ongoing findings.
The development comes days after a heated confrontation between Lt. Yerima and the FCT Minister at a disputed land site in the Gaduwa District. A video of the altercation went viral, sparking widespread criticism and prompting presidential intervention to suspend the demolition operation linked to the dispute.
The fallout from the clash has continued to generate reactions. Several military veterans condemned what they described as Wike’s disrespectful behaviour toward the officer.
Abiodun Durowaiye-Herberts, spokesperson for the Coalition of Retired Veterans, warned that former service members would occupy the minister’s office and residence if any punitive measures were taken against Lt. Yerima.
He stated that the minister’s outburst — including referring to the officer as “a fool” on camera — was an insult to national institutions, stressing that military personnel swear loyalty to the nation, not to individual public officials.
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Meanwhile, the Minister of Defence, Mohammad Badaru Abubakar, has assured that no officer acting lawfully will be sanctioned over the incident.
“We will always protect personnel carrying out their duties within the law,” he said during a briefing ahead of the 2026 Armed Forces Remembrance Day.
Veterans had earlier threatened nationwide protests should Lt. Yerima face any form of disciplinary action.
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