A young Nigerian Navy officer, Lt. A.M. Yarima — who recently confronted the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike — has reportedly escaped what appears to be an assassination attempt in Abuja.
Military sources told The Independent Mirror that Yarima was trailed on Sunday evening by unknown men dressed in black and riding in two unmarked Hilux vans with no number plates. The vehicles allegedly followed him from the NIPCO Filling Station off the Line Expressway to Gado Nasco Way.
The officer reportedly noticed the surveillance and carried out what sources described as a “strategic maneuver,” successfully evading the suspected attackers at about 6:30 p.m.
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Security authorities are said to be taking the matter seriously, though further details are being withheld to avoid jeopardizing ongoing investigations.
This incident comes shortly after a viral confrontation in Gaduwa District, where Lt. Yarima — while on official duty — challenged FCT Minister Nyesom Wike over a disputed land site. The argument, captured on video, sparked national attention and forced the Presidency to halt a demolition exercise.
The face-off triggered widespread public debate, with many Nigerians and military veterans rallying behind the officer. A coalition of retired servicemen warned they were ready to “occupy the office and residence of the FCT Minister” if Yarima faced any form of punishment.
“How can a public office holder call an officer ‘a fool’ on camera?” asked Abiodun Durowaiye-Herberts, spokesperson for the veterans’ group.
In response, Minister of Defence Mohammad Badaru Abubakar assured the public that no officer acting lawfully would be sanctioned.
“We will always protect officers and our armed forces personnel on lawful duty,” he stated. “Any officer on lawful duty will be protected if he is doing his job lawfully and doing it well.”
The alleged assassination attempt has now heightened tensions, with many interpreting it as an escalation in the fallout from the widely publicized confrontation.