Naval officer, Lt. A.M. Yerima, on Sunday, November 16, 2025 narrowly escaped an assassination attempt in Abuja, military sources have confirmed.
The incident allegedly took place at about 6:30 p.m., even as authorities said the matter was already under active investigation while further details are being withheld to avoid compromising ongoing inquiries.
It was gathered that Lt. Yerima was trailed by some unidentified men dressed in black and driving two unmarked Hilux vehicles without number plates.
The unidentified men reportedly followed Yerima from NIPCO Filling Station along the Line Expressway to Gado Nasko Way and when the young Naval officer noticed the surveillance, he reportedly executed a “strategic manoeuvre” that allowed him to evade the assailants.
The development comes barely five days after Lt. Yerima, who was on duty with fellow security personnel, engaged in an altercation with the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, over a disputed plot of land situated in Gaduwa District of the nation’s capital.
Video footage of the altercation sparked national discuss thereby prompting the Presidency to halt the demolition exercise at the site.
The development was followed by criticisms by military veterans consisting of retired Generals, noted the verbal attack on Lt. Yerima by Wike, insisting that the FCT Minister disrespected the Uniform which is a symbol of nationalism.
The retired Generals rejected calls for disciplinary action against Yerima.
Spokesperson of the Coalition of retired Veterans, Abiodun Durowaiye-Herberts, warned that ex-service members would “occupy the office and residence of the FCT Minister” if Yarima was punished.
Durowaiye-Herberts insisted that military personnel owed their allegiance to Nigeria and not individual officials, and demanded public apology from Wike for his unguarded remarks.
In the words of Durowaiye-Herberts; “How can a public office holder call an officer ‘a fool’ on camera? Such conduct undermines national institutions”.
Similarly, the Minister of Defence, Mohammad Badaru Abubakar also declared that that no military personnel acting lawfully would face any form of disciplinary action.
Badaru, who spoke at a Ministerial briefing for the 2026 Armed Forces Remembrance Day at the National Defence College, emphasised that the military will always protect officers and its armed forces personnel on lawful duty.
He said; “Any officer performing their duty lawfully will be protected.”
Also speaking on the development, the Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle said that Lt. Yerima was on legal assignment and conducted himself in the most professional and disciplined manner expected of an officer.
Matawalle said that Wike ignored advice by both the Chief of Defence Staff and the Chief of Naval Staff to give them that day to investigate the matter and get back to him.
