“We Are Hungry, Fighting For Powerful People Who Are Enjoying Our Wealth”; Policeman Attached To Wike Tells Military Personnel
A comment made by a police officer attached to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, warning military personnel to stay off the altercation between the minister and a naval officer, A.M. Yerima, has stirred reaction from Nigerians.
During the trending video of the chaotic exchange, the minister’s police orderly was heard addressing one of the military men in Hausa, urging restraint and warning them to stay away from a fight between powerful individuals benefitting from Nigeria’s wealth.
In his caution, the police officer was heard saying, “The powerful are fighting, while you and I are the ones suffering and hungry. If they’re enjoying the wealth meant for the people, how much do you think they’ll give you?”
The officer’s remarks, captured in a video that has since gone viral, appeared to reflect deep frustration among rank-and-file security personnel over the perceived inequality and corruption within the country’s leadership and security hierarchy.
Reacting to the viral clip, human rights activist and former presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC), Omoyele Sowore, took to his X (formerly Twitter) account on Thursday, describing the police officer’s statement as a reflection of Nigeria’s entrenched institutional decay.
Sowore wrote, “The most important revelation from the dirty clash between FCT loquacious Minister Nyesom Wike and the Nigerian Navy many hail as their “hero” over a parcel of land is not the shouting match itself, but the moment a Nigerian Police officer, sensing that things were about to turn violent, quietly spoke in Hausa to his colleague from the Nigerian Army HQ Nigerian Army in an attempt to de-escalate the situation.
“He warned that this is not our fight, but a fight between big men (thieves).
“It confirms exactly what I said when this incident first surfaced: ‘What we are witnessing is the deep rot of self-interest within the security and political establishment officials who serve a privileged minority instead of protecting the nation.
“Governor Nyesom Wike is not an exception; he is a perfect example of how personal power struggles routinely overshadow the national interest’”.
The confrontation between Wike and the naval officer over a land said to be owned by a retired Naval chief has since sparked renewed debate on the abuse of power by political elites in Nigeria.
It was earlier reported that the Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC) condemned what it described as “reckless and uncivil behaviour” by public officials, warning that such conduct damages Nigeria’s image and erodes confidence in the nation’s governance system.
In a statement signed by its Executive Director, Auwal Ibrahim Musa (Rafsanjani) — who also heads Transparency International (TI) Nigeria — the organisation said that public office demands restraint, humility, and discipline, not arrogance or abuse of power.
“Public officials are supposed to be civil and civilised in carrying out their responsibilities and must understand the code of conduct that guides public office,” Rafsanjani said.
“The idea of public officials attacking security personnel is unacceptable and passes a wrong message about the nation. They must be role models, not symbols of impunity.”
According to the group, Wike’s conduct reflects “a consistent pattern of arrogance and lack of emotional control,” dating back to his years as Rivers State governor.
“The character and conduct exhibited by the FCT Minister, from his time as a governor to his current role, show a pattern of recklessness and poor emotional control. Governance demands humility, restraint, and respect for institutional boundaries,” the statement added.
CISLAC noted that over 52 civil society organisations working on transparency and accountability had recently called for an impartial investigation into the FCT Minister over allegations of asset concealment, illicit enrichment, and violations of Nigeria’s asset declaration laws.
