Former Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Tukur Yusuf Buratai (rtd), has described the recent conduct of the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Barrister Nyesom Wike, as a direct threat to national security and the integrity of Nigeria’s armed forces.
In a strongly worded statement posted on his Facebook page on Tuesday, Buratai condemned Wike’s alleged public disparagement of a uniformed military officer on November 11, 2025, describing it as “an act of profound indiscipline” that undermines the nation’s command structure and disrespects the authority of the Commander-in-Chief, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
“A minister’s verbal assault on a military officer in uniform is an act of profound indiscipline that strikes at the core of our nation’s command and control structure,” Buratai said. “It deliberately undermines the chain of command, disrespects the authority of the Commander-in-Chief, and grievously wounds the morale of every individual who serves under the Nigerian flag.”
The former Army Chief warned that such behavior should not be dismissed as political drama, but recognized as “a reckless endangerment of national order” that erodes discipline within the security system.
He insisted that the FCT Minister must issue a public apology to President Tinubu, the Nigerian Armed Forces, and the specific officer involved in the incident.
“Consequently, Barrister Nyesom Wike must tender an immediate and unequivocal public apology to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu as Commander-in-Chief, the entire Armed Forces of Nigeria, and the specific officer whose honour was violated,” he stated.
Buratai emphasized that the sanctity of the armed forces must be upheld above politics, urging the government to take “decisive action” to protect national security and the morale of military personnel.
“Our nation’s security must come first. It is time for decisive action, not politics of military bashing. The integrity of our Armed Forces demands nothing less,” he concluded.
