Navy Officer Lt. A.M. Yarima Escapes Assassination Attempt Days After Clash With FCT Minister Wike
By Andrew Haruna | The Bureau News
ABUJA — Nigeria News Today: A young Nigerian Navy officer, Lieutenant A.M. Yarima, who recently engaged in a heated confrontation with FCT Minister Nyesom Wike, reportedly escaped an assassination attempt on Sunday evening in Abuja.
According to Vanguard, military sources revealed that Yarima was trailed by unidentified men dressed in black and riding in two unmarked Hilux vans without number plates. The vehicles allegedly followed him from the NIPCO Filling Station off the Line Expressway to Gado Nasco Way.
The officer, upon noticing he was being trailed, reportedly executed a “strategic maneuver” that enabled him to evade the suspected assailants around 6:30 p.m.
“The matter is under investigation and is receiving the seriousness it deserves,” one source said, adding that further details are being withheld to avoid compromising the inquiry.
Incident Linked to Earlier Confrontation With Wike
The attempted attack comes just days after a widely circulated video showed Lt. Yarima confronting the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory at a disputed land site in Gaduwa District, Abuja. The incident, which occurred during a demolition operation, quickly went viral and ignited intense public debate.
In the video, Minister Wike could be heard verbally engaging the officer during a disagreement over the legality of the demolition exercise. Following the controversy, the Presidency intervened and ordered an immediate suspension of the exercise.
Veterans Defend Yarima, Condemn Wike’s Remarks
The altercation triggered outrage among military veterans across Nigeria. The Coalition of Retired Veterans publicly criticised Minister Wike for verbally insulting the officer and warned against any form of disciplinary action against Lt. Yarima.
Spokesman for the Coalition, Abiodun Durowaiye-Herberts, stated that ex-service members would “occupy the office and residence of the FCT Minister” if Yarima faced punishment for performing his lawful duty.
“How can a public office holder call an officer ‘a fool’ on camera?” Durowaiye-Herberts queried. “Such conduct undermines the integrity of our national institutions and demeans the dignity of public office.”
Defence Minister Assures Protection for Lawful Officers
Meanwhile, Minister of Defence Mohammad Badaru Abubakar has reassured the public that no officer acting within the scope of duty will be sanctioned over the altercation.
“We will always protect officers and our armed forces personnel on lawful duty,” Badaru said during a briefing ahead of the 2026 Armed Forces Remembrance Day at the National Defence College in Abuja.
“Any officer on lawful duty will be protected if he is doing his job lawfully and doing it well.”
As of press time, the military authorities have not issued an official statement on the assassination attempt, but internal investigations are reportedly underway.
