Wike acted within his rights to inspect disputed land, military officers overstepped their authority — Falana

Femi Falana, a senior advocate of Nigeria (SAN), says NyesomWike, minister of the federal capital territory (FCT), was within his legalrights to inspect a disputed land in Abuja. On Tuesday, viral videos showed Wike being stopped bymilitary personnel from accessing the site, sparking a heated argument with anofficer. In the footage, Wike was seen stepping in to defuse thesituation, separating his security detail from the soldiers as tensionsescalated. Speaking with the officers, the minister demanded to see theapproval granted to the owners of the land. A soldier, who led the group, told Wike that his men werenot intimidating anyone, stating that the landowner had all the necessarydocuments. Speaking at an event at the University of Abuja on Thursday,Falana condemned the minister’s public insult of the military officer, sayingno public official has the right to ridicule any Nigerian. “The president must direct the minister to apologise. Thatis what is done in civilised societies,” Falana said, citing a similar incidentin Ghana where a deputy minister was compelled to withdraw offensive remarks. Falana criticised the military officers who prevented theminister from carrying out his statutory duty, describing their actions as anoverreach of authority. He recalled that under section 11 of the Land Use Act, theFCT minister and state governors have unquestionable powers to enter andinspect any land within their jurisdiction. The human right activist said the military officer whostopped Wike was acting illegally, reportedly on orders from above. “The minister was performing his statutory duty. Anyoccupier of land must allow the minister or governor to enter and inspect theproperty,” Falana said. He added that if the minister was prevented from performinghis duty, the proper course of action would have been to withdraw and seekredress through legal channels, such as filing a petition or obtaining a courtorder. “On no ground can the minister take the law into his ownhands by forcing himself and abusing a military officer,” he said. Falana dismissed claims that insulting a military officer inuniform constitutes a threat to national security, emphasising that a uniformis merely clothing and does not confer superiority. The senior lawyer also criticised US President DonaldTrump’s threat of military action in Nigeria to protect Christians,highlighting America’s own struggles with gun violence. “In the last five years, about 280,000 Americans have beenkilled by gunmen, including school children and worshippers. Trump cannot stopthat because of the powerful influence of weapons manufacturers,” he said. He urged Nigerians, especially the youth and lawyers, tounite and insist that every Nigerian’s life matters. “Are you prepared to go to arms to save the life of everyNigerian? The time is now,” he said. At the event, law students of the University of Abujaconferred the honorary title of “senior advocate of the masses” on Falana inrecognition of his decades-long commitment to justice and public interestlitigation.

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