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Naval Officer Yerima, Known For Confronting FCT Minister Wike, Allegedly Bypasses Airport Screening With Pistol, Slams ValueJet For “Disrespect” After Interception


A Nigerian Navy officer, Lieutenant Adam Muhammad Yerima, has been accused of breaching aviation security protocols after allegedly bypassing mandatory passenger screening and attempting to board a commercial flight with a pistol.

SaharaReporters learnt that Lieutenant Yerima, who is known in public discourse for previously confronting the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Nyesom Wike, gained access to the boarding terminal through the military wing of the airport.

SaharaReporters further gathered that Lieutenant Yerima entered the boarding terminal through the military wing of the airport, thereby avoiding standard civilian security screening procedures, before attempting to board a ValueJet Airlines flight.

The officer reportedly accused the airline of "disrespect" after he was stopped for breaching aviation regulations.

According to multiple sources familiar with the incident, which occurred at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, the lieutenant was armed with a pistol — an item strictly prohibited for passengers on commercial flights under Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) regulations unless properly declared and handled through approved security channels.

Sources told SaharaReporters that airline security officials noticed the breach and prevented Yerima from boarding the aircraft with the firearm.

They insisted that he complies with civil aviation rules applicable to all passengers, including uniformed personnel travelling on commercial flights.

After the initial resistance, the officer reportedly submitted to due process, including proper screening and declaration procedures, after which he was eventually allowed to board the flight.

However, the incident escalated beyond the airport terminal.

Following the episode, the Nigerian military reportedly wrote an official letter to ValueJet Airlines, accusing the airline of disrespecting military personnel and demanding a formal apology from the carrier for stopping the officer from boarding with his weapon.

SaharaReporters gathered that Lieutenant Yerima completely skipped standard passenger screening by entering the boarding terminal through the restricted military wing of the airport, rather than passing through the designated civilian security checkpoints.

Aviation regulations require that all passengers—regardless of status—undergo screening before boarding commercial aircraft. Firearms, even when legally possessed, must be formally declared and handled under strict security protocols.

Yet, according to sources, Yerima proceeded directly towards the aircraft with his pistol, in violation of these rules, until airline officials intervened.

Industry insiders say the incident is far from isolated and reflects a recurring pattern at major Nigerian airports, where military personnel frequently refuse to subject themselves to standard boarding procedures.

A senior ValueJet official, who spoke on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the matter, told SaharaReporters that such incidents are common and often involve intimidation of airline staff.

“This is the usual practice of military personnel. They refuse to subject themselves to boarding protocol and often threaten airline officials when asked to comply,” the source said.

The official also admitted that airlines are not entirely blameless, revealing that some carriers, including ValueJet, have at times facilitated these breaches through protocol arrangements to avoid confrontation.

“They send protocol officers to receive boarding passes on their behalf and go straight to board the flight, skipping all checks and going from the military wing of the airport straight to the aircraft,” the source disclosed.

The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) has also come under scrutiny for allegedly failing to address repeated complaints about such security breaches.

Multiple sources told SaharaReporters that reports submitted to FAAN over similar incidents have gone unanswered, with the authority often accused of siding with military officers rather than enforcing aviation safety rules.

In a recent incident at Port Harcourt International Airport, airline staff reportedly reported military personnel for violating boarding protocols. Instead of sanctioning the officers, FAAN allegedly reprimanded the airline, while the officers faced no consequences.

Aviation experts warn that these practices pose grave security risks in a sector where uniform enforcement of rules is critical to passenger safety.

Under NCAA regulations, all passengers must be screened, and restricted items such as firearms must follow strict declaration, storage, and handling procedures—even when carried by authorised personnel travelling in a civilian capacity.

A source added that allowing any category of passengers to bypass checks undermines the entire aviation security framework and exposes aircraft, crew, and passengers to avoidable risks.

Despite repeated incidents and growing concerns from industry insiders, there has been no public disciplinary action against offending officers or institutional reforms to end the practice.

Dalohad:
How many times has Wike bypassed security protocols because he believes he is powerful enough to do anything and get away with it?

Uncountable number of times.

Dalohad:
How many times has Wike bypassed security protocols because he believes he is powerful enough to do anything and get away with it?

Uncountable number of times.

naptu2:
Did I not warn about this? Isn't this the third example? When will Nigerians learn?

1) Video: Wike, Soldiers, FCT Officials Face-Off Over Abuja Land
https://www.nairaland.com/8559267/video-wike-soldiers-fct-officials

2) Between Lt Yarima And Policemen In Abuja (Video)
https://www.nairaland.com/8563195/lt-yarima-policemen-abuja-video

3) Naval Officer Yerima, Known For Confronting FCT Minister Wike, Allegedly Bypasses Airport Screening With Pistol, Slams ValueJet For “Disrespect” After Interception
https://saharareporters.com/2026/01/31/naval-officer-yerima-known-confronting-fct-minister-wike-allegedly-bypasses-airport

naptu2:
There are two things to take from here:

1) I wrote the other day that Nigerians do not know their history and so their ancestors fought hard to liberate themselves from problems, but present day Nigerians are fighting hard to return to those problems.

Every normal person should know that subordination to civilian authority is the hallmark of a professional and disciplined armed forces. The nonsense that we had under military rule in which members of the armed forces acted as if they were above the law is an aberration. But today Nigerians are celebrating because they believe that a military officer has shown that he is above the law.

This guy served in the US military and he said that he would have been court-martialed immediately if he gloated that he had been able to overpower civilian authority.

(The kids that are praising this action have not had it happen to them. They will start blaming Nigeria if we go back to military rule and soldiers start misbehaving and "disciplining" them).

2) But the second issue is that Nigerians joke with everything. I say this because I am certain that the account that he is responding to does not belong to the naval officer, it was created to gain views and revenue (and I am sure very many similar accounts are being opened on every social media network).

https://x.com/btunddej/status/1988405240371036383?

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highchief1:
the day u will have sense I wil buy one big goat and kill.So because wike is wrong or a bad person like u said all of us must now begin to misbehave.

Dalohad:
How many times has Wike bypassed security protocols because he believes he is powerful enough to do anything and get away with it?

Uncountable number of times.

Lanretoye:
una go don use una useless hype almost destroy the boys career,sha na compulsory make doom follow anybody you people support

highchief1:
the day u will have sense I wil buy one big goat and kill.So because wike is wrong or a bad person like u said all of us must now begin to misbehave.

Dalohad:
We don see you wey carry glory.

Your support dey make people billionaires, na him you still dey your papa house, dey chop 'mama thank you'.

Dalohad:
How many times has Wike bypassed security protocols because he believes he is powerful enough to do anything and get away with it?

Uncountable number of times.

mascot87:
Don't even expect he will ever have it because it is a taboo for him.

Lanretoye:
okay so cos u no get career self,to spoil person own no mean anything to you…if you get mama wey God bless,you go chop am,na your family misfortune make you think say na bad thing for your mother to give you food.

Dalohad:
You dey answer 'high chief' for mouth, if Wike throw 10 kobo give you, you go fly grab..

Let Wike answer for his crimes before you talk of punishing Navy Lt. Yerima.

If e easy, go collect NDA form..

princeade86:
Continue to be monitoring him since he humbled wike

Dalohad:
If I visit I chop mama food, but I no dey follow my mama drag pot and wrapper as you dey do.

You don old for house, go find work..

highchief1:
the day u will have sense I wil buy one big goat and kill.So because wike is wrong or a bad person like u said all of us must now begin to misbehave.

Dalohad:
How many times has Wike bypassed security protocols because he believes he is powerful enough to do anything and get away with it?

Uncountable number of times.

shrinkchido:
Nigerian Navy officer, Lieutenant Adam Muhammad Yerima, has been accused of breaching aviation security protocols after bypassing mandatory passenger screening and attempting to board a commercial flight with a pistol.

ChiefOloye:
Read what you wrote again and ask yourself whether it even makes sense. So because Wike allegedly disobeys the law, Yerima should also disobey the law—right?
Some of you who claim to be critical of the government are not genuinely interested in better governance. Your criticism is driven mainly by your dislike for the government and its key actors. The moment your favourites get into power, all the noise about corruption, tribalism, and nepotism will suddenly disappear. Hypocrites.

Dalohad:
How many times has Wike bypassed security protocols because he believes he is powerful enough to do anything and get away with it?

Uncountable number of times.