₦airaland Forum

onatisi:
Wike is a complete drunk idiot . So when they gave him that report in the office and told him that soldiers were the ones chasing his workers away , his brains didn't tell him that the first thing to do is to investigate who the officer is and to inform the military authorities instead what his drunk brains told him to do was to carry cameras and Pressman in his convoy to go to the site and do things they could have done in the office without any controversy

prinsam30:
Very sensible input from u, that man is just not it, he behaves like a demigod, like he own Nigeria, what a misplaced priority the president has surrounds himself with

GanagiBitrus:
I only blame Wike for his choice of foul language while confronting the officer.

Also blame the chain of command that deployed the officer, without liaising with the office of the FCT Minister. That's impunity & abuse of power that our Army are well known for.

Can't fault the young officer; he was simply obeying "orders from above".
&The military are quite proud of how he professionally handled the matter.

dfrost:
A very lousy bloody civilian. If e pain anybody, go Kaduna. Academy need people

Kalulu44:
Chairman you have said it all. But nope, the power drunk Wike wanted to test his capabilities and was fully disgraced. Instead of him to eat the humble pie, he's everywhere explaining nonsense

onatisi:
Wike is a complete drunk idiot . So when they gave him that report in the office and told him that soldiers were the ones chasing his workers away , his brains didn't tell him that the first thing to do is to investigate who the officer is and to inform the military authorities instead what his drunk brains told him to do was to carry cameras and Pressman in his convoy to go to the site and do things they could have done in the office without any controversy

MarkNsukkaBread:
A sensible officer knows there are some orders you don't follow

Farmsolution:
Can you please keep quiet respectfully?
The illegalities you people love is what is used to cripple you people.

MarkNsukkaBread:
Na wetin for happen if to say na soldier

You people like giving these military guys power to oppress you in this country

TotoIsGud4boy:
Point noted. Wike was wrong to speak foul-mouthedly to the navy officer, navy officer was wrong to challenge an FCT minister passively even if he was just following orders he should’ve handled it diplomatically and avoided the escalation that turned into insults

MarkNsukkaBread:
A sensible officer knows there are some orders you don't follow

Fiscus105:
Meanwhile, the civilian authority should be behaving like demigod Abi?

Wen it's not procure in right way, does Wike has right to forceful takes over, what happens to court of law.

Osebanjo:
Intimidated how bro? It was you actually looking to intimidate the military guys. No matter what, you were not supposed to start an unnecessary argument with an officer just following order. Afterall you are not the c-in-c you are just an appointed mayor of the city. You are doing your duty fine but at least you sabi the drill na.

onatisi:
Yes baba ,that is why I am amazed at how some people are supporting Wike ,even if he didn't know that it was military officers ,by the time he got to the site and saw military men ,the only way to prove to the fine officer is to tell him that you have no problems with him Nd that you will talk to his superiors ,trust me that boy will respect Wike . And immediately ,Wike should have picked his phone in full glare of the press's and reported the incident to the chief of naval staff and the defence minister . Trust me that would have been more honourable than the way he stood there arguing with a boy who is maybe just the age of his last born. Anyway I don't blame Wike ,since he was appointed by a drug addict I don't expect anything higher or better from him

Adakintroy:
Technically everything is under the minister

He is the governor. All this power play is because ehe is not a Northern.

Imagine telling a governor he can't enter somewhere.

dfrost:
A very lousy bloody civilian. If e pain anybody, go Kaduna. Academy need people

Talismann:
you think say military na ministry abi.

Na only president (Grand commander-in-chief) fit stand that guy down from the order given to him

Centwizzy13:
U have spoken with the CDS and he said don’t worry the matter will b resolved so why going their to intimidate the officers giving orders

floss:
It’s only Wike can tell Wike he’s wrong and Wike will agree and take correction given by Wike, anything far from that will result in Wike acting like Wike ….

I’m beginning to see why pdp can’t control Wike, because they’re all weak.

yarimo:
Mr WIKE this is very commendable from you, everyone in the FCT is proud of you.

Osebanjo:
Intimidated how bro? It was you actually looking to intimidate the military guys. No matter what, you were not supposed to start an unnecessary argument with an officer just following order. Afterall you are not the c-in-c you are just an appointed mayor of the city. You are doing your duty fine but at least you sabi the drill na.

zoedew:
OFFICER YERIMA BREACHED THE LAW IN THAT FACEOFF WITH NYESOM WIKE

By Prof. Sebastine Hon, SAN
(Constitutional Lawyer and Author)

Brushing sentiments aside, I hereby condemn in totality the actions of the Naval Officer, A.M. Yerima, who obstructed the FCT Minister from gaining access into that parcel of land, under the guise of ‘obeying superior orders.’ The duty of a junior officer to obey the orders of his superiors, even though strongly upheld in military and paramilitary circles, has its own limitations recognised by no other authority but the Supreme Court of Nigeria. I shall establish this anon.

In the recent case of Onunze vs. State (2023) 8 NWLR (Pt. 1885) 61 at 108 SC, the Supreme Court held emphatically, per Ogunwunmiju, JSC, thus:

“My Lords, the obligation to obey the orders of a superior does not include orders that are palpably illegal or manifestly unjust. Every military or police officer swears an oath upon commissioning. The Oath is not to obey all orders, it is to “preserve”, “protect” and defend the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria against all enemies, foreign and domestic. When an officer obeys palpably illegal orders, they become personally liable for their actions and would be expected to face court martial or official sanction for the wrongdoing.”

In the earlier decision of Nigeria Air Force vs. James (2002) 18 NWLR (Pt. 798) 295 at 324 SC, Onu, JSC, delivering the lead judgment of the Supreme Court, held firmly, subjugating military personnel to civilian authority and disparaging obedience to illegal orders, as follows:

“See the case of Pius Nwaogu v. The State (1972) 1 All NLR 149 where it was held, inter alia, that "a soldier is responsible to Military and Civil Law and it is monstrous to suppose that a soldier could be protected when the order is grossly and manifestly illegal. Of course, there is the other proposition that a soldier is only bound to obey lawful orders and is responsible if he obeys an order not strictly lawful.’"

The illegality in that order stems primarily from the fact that no service law of the military permits a serving military officer to mount guard at the private construction site of his boss, especially under suspicious circumstances like this. The retired Naval Officer ought, under the circumstances, to have engaged the civil police, if he suspected likelihood of arson or criminal trespass.

Additionally, Barr. Nyesom Wike is the equivalent of Governor of a State – he being the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. More importantly, all lands in the FCT Abuja, by section 297(2) of the 1999 Constitution of Nigeria, 1999 as amended, belong to the Federal Republic of Nigeria. By section 302 of the same Constitution, read together with other extant Acts of the National Assembly, the President of Nigeria has delegated all powers with respect to land administration in the FCT Abuja to the Hon. Minister. Going by constitutional and administrative law, therefore, Mr. Wike stood in loco the President of Nigeria and Commander-in-Chief of the Nigerian Armed Forces on that fateful day. Consequently, even if the superior officer were still in service, he would not disobey Mr. Wike or obstruct him from entering the land. This was an affront to the civil authority of Mr. President.

The Minister’s method may be brash; but it is legal and lawful in all respects. Rather, it is the officer who obstructed him that has breached not just the Nigerian Constitution, but also service and extant regulatory laws. For the avoidance of any doubt, section 114 of the Armed Forces Act makes military personnel criminally liable for civil offences. This means the officer in question could be arraigned before a Court Martial for obstructing a public officer from performing his public duties, et cetera.

In conclusion, celebrating the humiliation of Nyesom Wike, simply because he is a ‘big man’ or simply because he is not liked by certain persons begs the real issue here. If such intolerable conduct by the young officer is not punished or is celebrated, this may unleash a reign of terror by the men in khaki against hapless civilians – with a grin or boast that ‘we did it to Wike and nothing happened.’ This is not Nigeria of our dream!
I rest my case here.