The Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF) has asked the Nigerian Navy to issue an immediate apology to FCT Minister Nyesom Wike after his public altercation with naval officer, Lt. A.M. Yerima.
PANDEF chairman, Boladei Igali, criticised rising social media praise for what he called improper conduct by a naval officer acting on a retired service chief’s orders.
“The Minister of the FCT deserves an unconditional apology from the leadership of the Nigerian Navy on behalf of its former head and the young officer involved in the horrible spectacle, which is an act outside its core mandate of protecting the territorial integrity of the country,” said Mr Igali.
He said the retired officer should recognise that Mr Wike, representing President Bola Tinubu on FCT matters, deserved full respect and proper recognition.
Mr Igali said Mr Wike, regarded as a top-performing minister, should always be treated with respect and appropriate decorum.
He said the officer’s behaviour was an affront to the minister and a clear display of disregard for the authority of the president.
Mr Igali said Mr Wike deserved an unconditional apology from the navy on behalf of the retired service chief and the junior officer involved in the incident.
He warned against assigning junior military personnel to illegal duties such as guarding unoccupied private land, saying such actions must stop.
“The act of using ordinary innocent junior military personnel to perform illegal duties like watching over unoccupied personal lands or the like must not be tolerated, irrespective of the self-restraint of the latter,” he said.
Mr Igali urged Mr Tinubu to order a full investigation and ensure those responsible face proper sanctions.
He said firm action would protect military professionalism and strengthen respect for civil authority in a stable democracy.
Mr Igali added that Mr Wike must be protected from such overzealous acts as he performs his duties with commitment and zeal.
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