Fresh Twist in FCT Altercation as Lere Olayinka Accuses Naval Officer of Misconduct, Questions Assassination Claim
The controversy surrounding the recent confrontation between a naval officer, Lieutenant Yarima, and security operatives attached to the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, has taken a new turn after political communicator and former Ekiti State Government aide, Lere Olayinka, openly challenged the officer’s version of events.
In a strongly worded statement on Tuesday, Olayinka accused the officer of presenting a distorted narrative and questioned the circulating claim that Yarima had survived an alleged assassination attempt.
According to Olayinka, the officer was driving a vehicle without a plate number and with tinted windows both violations that typically attract police scrutiny.
He alleged that at a routine checkpoint, Yarima refused instructions to wind down and later declined to identify himself, escalating the situation.
“You were driving a car without a plate number; the car was tinted,” Olayinka wrote. “At a police checkpoint, you were stopped. You were asked to wind down you refused. You were asked to identify yourself again, you refused.
“Instead, you started calling other naval officers while insulting the policemen on official duty.”
Olayinka added that the officers only allowed the naval officer to proceed after his colleagues arrived and confirmed his identity.
The political figure questioned how a routine security stop, which resulted from the officer’s alleged non-cooperation, could be interpreted as an attempt on his life.
“So the policemen who kept you waiting until your colleagues came to identify you were the ones who wanted to assassinate you?” he asked. “Or was it part of an order for you to use an unregistered car and refuse to identify yourself when asked to do so?”
Olayinka warned that social media praise and public sentiment may have emboldened the officer to project an exaggerated narrative. “When you are being hailed too much by social media people…” he wrote, suggesting the situation was now being politicized.
The dispute first gained national attention after reports circulated that a naval officer narrowly escaped an assassination attempt during an encounter with Minister Wike’s convoy. However, the FCT Police Command has since debunked the claim, calling it sensational and unfounded.
Several military veterans and civic groups have nonetheless demanded a deeper investigation, citing recurring incidents involving VIP convoys in Abuja.
As of Tuesday evening, neither the Nigerian Navy nor the FCT Police has issued an official reaction to Olayinka’s claims. Attempts to reach the naval officer involved have been unsuccessful.
The incident continues to generate debate, with analysts urging both agencies to release a joint factual account to prevent further misinformation and inter-agency distrust.
