Lt. A.M. Yerima, a young officer in the Nigerian Navy who recently had a fight with the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, is said to have avoided an assassination attempt yesterday.
Military sources told our reporter that Yarima was followed by guys in black who were riding in two unmarked Hilux vans with no license plates, according to Sunday Vanguard.
Allegedly, the cars followed him from the NIPCO Filling Station off the Line Expressway to Gado Nasco Way.
The source says that the cop saw the surveillance and made a “strategic maneuver” to get away from the alleged attackers. According to reports, the event happened at about 6:30 p.m.
The insider further said that the problem is being looked into and is getting “the seriousness it deserves.” They also said that more information is being kept secret so as not to interfere with the process.
The news comes only days after Lt. Yarima had a tense fight with FCT Minister Nyesom Wike over a disputed piece of property in Gaduwa District while on duty with other security officers.
The fight, which was caught on camera, created a lot of public controversy and got the attention of the Presidency, which then stopped the demolition work at the site.
After the event, military veterans across the country criticized Wike for publicly abusing the officer and turned down requests for disciplinary action against Yarima.
Abiodun Durowaiye-Herberts, a spokesman for the Coalition of Retired Veterans, said that if the officer was punished, ex-service veterans would “occupy the office and residence of the FCT Minister.”
He said that soldiers owe their loyalty to Nigeria as a whole, not to particular public leaders, and that Wike should apologize for what he said.
“How can someone in public office call an officer ‘a fool’ on camera?” he said, adding that this kind of behavior hurts national institutions and lowers the dignity of public service.
Minister of Defense Mohammad Badaru Abubakar has said that no military soldiers who acted legitimately will be punished for the fight.
Badaru remarked at a ministerial briefing for the 2026 Armed services Remembrance Day celebrations at the National Defence College, “We will always protect officers and our armed forces personnel on lawful duty.”
“Any officer on duty who is doing his job legally and well will be safe.”
Veterans had promised to mobilize and take over the FCT Ministry if Lt. Yarima was punished in any way.
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