Former Chief of Army Staff Lt. Gen. Tukur Yusuf Buratai (rtd.) has raised a red flag over the conduct of Federal Capital Territory Minister Nyesom Wike, calling it a direct threat to national security.
Buratai’s warning comes after Wike’s heated exchange with a uniformed Nigerian Armed Forces officer on November 11, 2025, which was captured on video and shared widely online.
The retired General in a statement condemned the incident as “profound indiscipline” that undermines the chain of command, disrespects the President as Commander-in-Chief, and damages the morale of troops serving the nation.
Buratai stressed that the minister’s verbal attack on the officer was not a trivial matter but a reckless act that jeopardizes national order and erodes the authority of the federal government.
He urged Wike to issue an unequivocal public apology to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the Armed Forces, and the officer involved to restore respect and integrity to Nigeria’s military institutions.
The statement reads: “The events of November 11, 2025, involving the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Barrister Nyesom Wike, demand an immediate and serious response. His public disparagement of a uniformed officer of the Nigerian Armed Forces transcends mere misconduct; it represents a palpable threat to national security and institutional integrity.
“A minister’s verbal assault on a military officer in uniform is an act of profound indiscipline that strikes at the core of our nation’s command and control structure. It deliberately undermines the chain of command, disrespects the authority of the Commander-in-Chief, and grievously wounds the morale of every individual who serves under the Nigerian flag. Such actions erode the very foundation of discipline upon which our national security apparatus stands.
“This can not be dismissed as political theatre. It is a reckless endangerment of national order. This action by Wike is clearly an indication of undermining the federal government’s authority.
“Consequently, Barrister Nyesom Wike must tender an immediate and unequivocal public apology to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu as Commander-in-Chief, the entire Armed Forces of Nigeria, and the specific officer whose honour was violated.
“Our nation’s security must come first. It is time for decisive action, not politics of military bashing. The integrity of our Armed Forces demands nothing less”.
