A former Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Tukur Buratai (retired), has condemned the Tuesday, November 11, debacle between the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, and a Navy Lieutenant, AM Yerima, in Abuja.

Buratai, who also served as an ambassador, said that an urgent action is required regarding the minister’s actions, which he described as a threat to national security.

Recall that Wike and Yerima had engaged in a war of words on a property located in the Gaduwa area of Abuja following the minister’s presence on the land guarded by military personnel who were led by the Navy Lieutenant.

The minister and his team, during the incident were prevented from gaining access to the property by the military personnel leading to a heated argument between Wike and Yerima with vile utterances made by the minister.

However, reacting to the incident, Buratai in a statement shared on his Facebook page on Tuesday said Wike’s public disparagement of a uniformed officer of the Nigerian Armed Forces transcends mere misconduct as it represents a palpable threat to national security and institutional integrity.

According to Buratai, such verbal assault on a uniformed officer showcases indiscipline that strikes at the core of Nigeria’s command and control structure and disrespects the authority of the Commander-in-Chief, in the person of the president, Bola Tinubu.

Stating that the action of the minister wounds the morale of all the individuals who serve under the Nigerian flag, the former Army Chief said Wike’s verbal abuse of Yerima can not be dismissed as political theatre.

He further said that the minister as a matter of urgency must tender an unreserved apology to the President who is the C-in-C, the Nigerian Military and the Navy officer.

Buratai’s words, “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,” Buratai stated.