The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Command has dismissed reports claiming that a Nigerian Navy officer, Lieutenant Ahmed Yerima, survived an assassination attempt in Abuja. The command described the circulating accounts as baseless and capable of causing needless tension.

The rumours, shared widely across several news platforms and social media (excluding The PUNCH), alleged that Yerima was chased by unidentified men clad in black and riding in two unmarked Hilux vehicles without number plates. The supposed pursuit was said to have begun around 6:30 p.m. at the NIPCO filling station along the Kubwa Expressway and continued through Gado Nasco Way, with the officer allegedly escaping through a “strategic manoeuvre.”

The claims quickly drew public attention, with many linking the incident to Yerima’s recent confrontation with the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, over a contentious land allocation in Gaduwa District.

However, in a statement issued on Sunday night, the FCT Police Public Relations Officer, SP Josephine Adeh, denied that any such attack occurred or was reported to law enforcement authorities.

“The attention of the FCT Police Command has been drawn to publications circulating on social media alleging an attempted assassination on Lt. Ahmed Yerima,” the statement read. “The command wishes to categorically state that no such incident has been reported or recorded anywhere within the Federal Capital Territory.”

Adeh urged residents to disregard the rumour and to avoid sharing unverified claims that could trigger unnecessary panic. She further encouraged the public to stay alert and promptly report suspicious activities to nearby police formations.

Lt. Yerima has been at the centre of public debate since November 11, when viral videos showed him blocking the convoy of Minister Wike from accessing a disputed plot said to belong to former Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Zubairu Gambo (retd).

The footage captured a heated exchange in which Wike accused the retired naval chief of undertaking illegal development on the land and berated the naval officer, calling him a “fool” while questioning his authority.

The confrontation sparked nationwide reactions, with many Nigerians criticising the minister’s conduct and defending the officer’s actions at the site.