Buratai Demands Public Apology from Wike, Says Verbal Clash with Soldier Threatens National Security

Former Chief of Army Staff and ex-Nigerian Ambassador to Benin Republic, Lieutenant General Tukur Yusuf Buratai (rtd), has called on the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, to tender an immediate public apology over his confrontation with a military officer.

In a strongly worded statement posted on his verified Facebook page, Buratai described the incident, which reportedly occurred on November 11, 2025, as “a threat to national security and institutional integrity.” He said Wike’s actions amounted to undermining the authority of the Commander-in-Chief and disrespecting the Armed Forces.

“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 stated.

The former Army Chief, who led the Nigerian Army from 2015 to 2021, stressed that the episode should not be dismissed as political drama, but rather seen as reckless endangerment of national order. He maintained that the minister’s conduct had the potential to damage the morale of officers serving the nation and weaken the country’s security architecture.

Buratai insisted that Wike must publicly apologize to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the Nigerian Armed Forces, and the officer involved in the confrontation, adding that the integrity of the military must remain “beyond politics and personal ego.”