A tense confrontation erupted on Tuesday in Abuja’s Gaduwa District when armed military officers allegedly acting on the orders of retired Vice Admiral Awwal Gambo clashed with officials of the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) during an enforcement operation against an unauthorized construction project.
FCTA officials had arrived at Plot 1946 in Gaduwa to carry out a demolition order on what authorities described as an illegal structure. However, they met strong resistance from uniformed personnel guarding the site.
Retired Vice Admiral Gambo, who served as Chief of Naval Staff under former President Muhammadu Buhari in 2021, has been linked to the controversial property as its alleged owner or beneficiary.
The situation escalated when the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, arrived at the scene alongside the FCT Commissioner of Police, Miller Dantawaye, and other top officials. Upon arrival, Wike was initially barred from entering the site by the armed officers.
According to witnesses, it took the intervention of Wike’s security detail to gain access after a heated exchange with the commanding officer, identified as Naval Air Vice Marshal Yerima.
Visibly angered by the resistance, Wike condemned the development as an act of “land grabbing” and vowed that his administration would not yield to intimidation.
“Despite the military intimidation, I will not succumb or allow this land grabbing. It’s an illegality that must not stand,” the minister declared.
He accused the developers of building on government land without approval or valid title documents, emphasizing that due process must be observed in all land allocations within the FCT.
In response, the commanding naval officer defended his actions, stating that his team was following superior orders and that all relevant land documents had been submitted for verification.
“This is not an illegal development,” he insisted. “I have forwarded all the documents to the officials in charge.”
The standoff highlights the growing tension between the Wike-led FCTA and influential figures accused of land encroachment, as the minister continues his aggressive campaign to reclaim government land and enforce urban development regulations across Abuja.
