On Friday, during President Bola Tinubu’s official visit to Bayelsa State, there was a frightening public fight between members of the Nigerian Army and the Nigerian Navy. This led military leaders to urge the immediate arrest of all officers involved.
The incident, which was caught on a 53-second video that went viral, showed uniformed people getting into a furious fight as the President was leaving an official function. The video shows the driver of a Hilux truck with the words “Naval Police” on it getting out of the truck and talking to another driver before getting back in. A soldier with a rifle came up a few moments later and punched the driver of the Naval Police. This started a frenzied fight that swiftly turned into a free-for-all, with people from both sides hitting each other while shocked onlookers watched in disbelief.
As of press time, it was not possible to say for sure what caused the fight. However, eyewitnesses said that things started to get tense as people from both teams disputed on how to manage movement and access routes during the presidential convoy’s activities.
In a tweet on his X Twitter on Saturday, Navy Captain Abi Folorunso, the Director of Naval Information, revealed that those involved have been arrested and will face disciplinary action. Folorunso stated, “The affected personnel are in custody and are already going through the right administrative and disciplinary steps according to current military rules.”
The Nigerian Armed Forces also said in a statement that they had found and arrested the people who were involved in the fight. The military authorities called the incident “unfortunate,” but they stressed that it does not reflect the overall relationship between the Nigerian Navy and the Nigerian Army. They said that both services continue to work closely together and with respect to carry out their constitutional duties.
The statement went on to say, “The Armed Forces of Nigeria are still a unified and professional organization with a common mission to protect the nation’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.” It said again that the military was committed to professionalism, discipline, and ethical behavior, which it called the “fundamentals of the profession of arms.”
Since then, many Nigerians on social media have criticized the fight, calling it an embarrassment and a proof of lack of discipline among the troops. One person said, “Foolish idiots in a professional field, nothing professional at all.” Another person said, “Shame on those who are supposed to keep the peace.” “Lawlessness.”
The Nigerian Armed Forces also asked people to stay calm and keep supporting the military as they work to keep the country safe, peaceful, and stable. More steps are being taken to make sure that people are held accountable, that it doesn’t happen again, and that cooperation amongst services is strengthened in the future.
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