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

Femi Falana, a senior advocate of Nigeria (SAN), says Nyesom Wike, minister of the federal capital territory (FCT), was within his legal rights to inspect a disputed land in Abuja.

On Tuesday, viral videos showed Wike being stopped by military personnel from accessing the site, sparking a heated argument with an officer.

In the footage, Wike was seen stepping in to defuse the situation, separating his security detail from the soldiers as tensions escalated.

Speaking with the officers, the minister demanded to see the approval granted to the owners of the land.

A soldier, who led the group, told Wike that his men were not intimidating anyone, stating that the landowner had all the necessary documents.

Speaking at an event at the University of Abuja on Thursday, Falana condemned the minister’s public insult of the military officer, saying no public official has the right to ridicule any Nigerian.

“The president must direct the minister to apologise. That is what is done in civilised societies,” Falana said, citing a similar incident in Ghana where a deputy minister was compelled to withdraw offensive remarks.

Falana criticised the military officers who prevented the minister from carrying out his statutory duty, describing their actions as an overreach of authority.

He recalled that under section 11 of the Land Use Act, the FCT minister and state governors have unquestionable powers to enter and inspect any land within their jurisdiction.

The human right activist said the military officer who stopped Wike was acting illegally, reportedly on orders from above.

“The minister was performing his statutory duty. Any occupier of land must allow the minister or governor to enter and inspect the property,” Falana said.

He added that if the minister was prevented from performing his duty, the proper course of action would have been to withdraw and seek redress through legal channels, such as filing a petition or obtaining a court order.

“On no ground can the minister take the law into his own hands by forcing himself and abusing a military officer,” he said.

Falana dismissed claims that insulting a military officer in uniform constitutes a threat to national security, emphasising that a uniform is merely clothing and does not confer superiority.

The senior lawyer also criticised US President Donald Trump’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 been killed by gunmen, including school children and worshippers. Trump cannot stop that because of the powerful influence of weapons manufacturers,” he said.

He urged Nigerians, especially the youth and lawyers, to unite and insist that every Nigerian’s life matters.

“Are you prepared to go to arms to save the life of every Nigerian? The time is now,” he said.

At the event, law students of the University of Abuja conferred the honorary title of “senior advocate of the masses” on Falana in recognition of his decades-long commitment to justice and public interest litigation.