JUST IN: Navy Officer Lt. Yarima Survives Alleged Assassination Attempt After Clash With Wike
Lt. A.M. Yarima, a young Nigerian Navy officer who recently confronted FCT Minister Nyesom Wike, reportedly survived an assassination attempt on Sunday evening.
Military sources told Vanguard that Yarima was being tailed by unidentified men dressed in black, driving two unmarked Hilux vans without number plates. The vehicles allegedly followed him from the NIPCO Filling Station off the Line Expressway to Gado Nasco Way.
The sources said Yarima noticed the pursuit and carried out a “strategic maneuver,” successfully evading the suspected attackers. The incident occurred around 6:30 p.m., and authorities are investigating the matter with “the seriousness it deserves,” though details have been withheld to avoid compromising the probe.
The incident comes shortly after Yarima, while on duty with other security personnel, had a tense confrontation with Wike over a disputed land site in Gaduwa District. The encounter, captured on video, drew public attention and led the Presidency to halt the demolition exercise at the site.
Following the confrontation, military veterans criticised Wike for verbally insulting Yarima and opposed any disciplinary action against him. Abiodun Durowaiye-Herberts, spokesman for the Coalition of Retired Veterans, warned that ex-service members would “occupy the office and residence of the FCT Minister” if Yarima were punished.
He emphasized that military personnel owe allegiance to Nigeria, not individual officials, and said Wike must apologise for his remarks. “How can a public office holder call an officer ‘a fool’ on camera?” he asked, adding that such behavior undermines national institutions and the dignity of public office.
Minister of Defence Mohammad Badaru Abubakar assured that no military personnel acting lawfully would face sanctions over the altercation. “We will always protect officers and our armed forces personnel on lawful duty,” Badaru said during a briefing for the 2026 Armed Forces Remembrance Day celebrations at the National Defence College. “Any officer on lawful duty will be protected if he is doing his job lawfully and doing it well.”
Veterans had previously vowed to mobilize and occupy the FCT Ministry if Yarima faced any form of disciplinary action.
