14/11/2025
Lieutenant A.M. Yerima, the Principal Officer to General A.Z. Gambo (rtd), is a disciplined soldier serving under lawful authority. His duty is clear, to obey the last legitimate command within the chain of command. He has committed no offense whatsoever.
When Minister Nyesom Wike contacted the current Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), hoping to override military procedure and have Lt. Yerima withdrawn from the site, the young officer stood his ground with dignity. He reminded the CDS that he was acting strictly under orders and within the law.
It must also be understood that General A.Z. Gambo holds a higher seniority than the current CDS. In the military, hierarchy and discipline are nonnegotiable. That is why several senior officers have openly aligned themselves with Lt. Yerima, not out of sentiment, but in defense of institutional order.
The CDS, maintaining professionalism, assured Lt. Yerima that the matter was under control and instructed him to continue enforcing law and order peacefully. At the end of the day, it was not the soldier who backed down, it was the Minister.
In principle and by the Constitution, the Nigerian Army does not take directives from any civilian authority except the President, the Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces.
I also believe that Minister Wike owes Lt. A.M. Yerima and the Nigerian military an unreserved apology for labeling the officer a “fool,” especially after the officer had clearly stated that he was acting under instructions. Such words are unbecoming of a public officeholder and undermine the professionalism of the Armed Forces.