WHO LIEUTENANT A.M. YERIMA IS, HOW HE CAME TO NATIONAL ATTENTION, AND WHAT BROADER ISSUES HIS CASE RAISES.

Lt. A.M. Yerima

 

Early Life and Background

Lieutenant Ahmed Mohammed Yerima (often styled “A.M. Yerima”) is a young officer in the Nigerian Navy whose profile surged into public view in November 2025. According to biographical information, he was born on 20 July 1992 in Kaduna State in north-western Nigeria, making him 33 years old as of 2025. 
Yerima grew up in Kaduna — a city with a strong military tradition and home to the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA). His upbringing in that environment reportedly instilled in him values of discipline and service. 

For his higher education, Yerima initially enrolled at Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria in 2011, where he studied Mass Communication. During his time there he was known by classmates as “MD” — described as tall, confident, approachable. 
Subsequently, his path shifted to military training when he joined the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA) in Kaduna, after which he was commissioned into the navy. 

Thus, Yerima’s story is one of a transition from civilian academic life into military service — a route that emphasises both education and uniformed duty.

Military Career and Service Record

Once commissioned into the Nigerian Navy, Lt. Yerima built a record that media accounts describe as disciplined and operationally seasoned. For instance:

• He is reported to have served in or been attached to the navy’s elite units, including the Special Boat Service (SBS) — the maritime special operations arm of the Nigerian Navy. 

• He reportedly served aboard the NNS Kada (a Nigerian naval ship) and took part in international military exercises such as Exercise Flintlock 2018 in Agadez, Niger Republic — a multinational counter-terrorism training event. 

• Colleagues and accounts describe him as calm under pressure, respectful of the chain of command, and committed to following lawful orders. 

While many of the finer details of his service remain private (as is typical), these elements help explain why he was able to hold his ground publicly when the spotlight hit.

The Confrontation with Nyesom Wike

The moment that made Lt. Yerima a household name occurred on 11 November 2025, when a face-off in Abuja between the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, and a military contingent drew widespread media and public attention. 

What happened

• The setting was a parcel of land in the Gaduwa District of Abuja, reportedly under dispute and linked to the retired Chief of Naval Staff, Awwal Zubairu Gambo (rtd). The land was said to have been allocated for a recreation park, then later repurposing was sought, and eventually sold (allegedly) to the retired naval chief. The FCT administration challenged the matter. (This sets the broader land-dispute context.)

• Lt. Yerima and his naval team were on the site under orders, working to secure it from what was described as “invasion” by non-military officials, according to some accounts. 

• When Minister Wike arrived with aides and officials to assert access (or enforce a stop-work or demolition order), a confrontation ensued. In the viral video clip, Wike challenges the military personnel; Lt. Yerima calmly responds that he is a commissioned officer and is acting on orders. He reportedly says something akin to: “I am not a fool, sir. I’m acting on orders.” 

• What drew attention was his composed demeanour under pressure, plus the unusual optics of a junior officer publicly standing his ground against a senior federal minister. 

Reaction and consequences

• Following the incident, questions were raised about the propriety of the land defence, the roles of military officers in land disputes, and the proper channel for resolving such disputes.

• The Ministry of Defence and the Minister of State for Defence publicly defended Lt. Yerima’s actions, stating he broke no law or military regulation, emphasising that officers on lawful duty would be protected. 

• The Defence Headquarters (Nigeria) (DHQ) posted on social media a symbolic message: “It is an honour to serve in the Nigerian Military … Unshaken, Unbent, Unbroken.” The post was interpreted by some as a show of support for Yerima and the military’s position. 

• Public commentary has been divided: many Nigerians praised Yerima for upholding discipline and duty, while others questioned whether the premise for his deployment (guarding a disputed parcel of land) was itself lawful or appropriate. For example, Reddit commentary captures the tension:

  “As indisciplined as we may think the army is, this says it all ‘I am an officer sir, I take orders sir’ 😂 Kudos to the young officer for standing by his professional ethics.” 

Personal Attributes and Public Perception

Several media profiles note that Lt. Yerima exhibits traits that have impressed both military insiders and civilians:

• Calmness under public scrutiny: his steadiness in the Wike encounter was repeatedly emphasised. 

• Respect for the chain of command and adherence to orders — a key value in the military ethos. 

• A relatively modest public profile before the incident, which made his sudden rise notable: from “unknown naval officer” to national talking point in less than 24 hours. 

On the flip side, some raise questions that go beyond his personal conduct:

• Why was a navy lieutenant deployed to guard a disputed piece of land in the FCT?

• What is the accountability for public officials in confronting uniformed personnel in such scenarios?

• Does the optics of military involvement in land disputes raise concerns about civil-military boundaries?

Broader Implications: What the Incident Signifies

The Yerima–Wike episode has drawn attention not just because of the individuals involved, but because of the broader issues it highlights. Here are some of the key take-aways:

1. Civil-military relations in Nigeria
   The interaction underscored how uniformed personnel and civilian authority intersect. The fact that a young officer held ground against a minister in a public forum emphasises the military’s insistence on chain of command and protocol. It also raised questions about how ministers, civilian officials and uniformed officers should interact when duties overlap.

2. Land governance and legality in the FCT
   The plot in question, and its allocation history, bring to light persistent issues around land rights, government allocations, repurposing of land, and commercialisation vs. recreation mandates. The fact that the FCT administration says the land remains government property (pending clarification) while the military contingent says it was deployed under orders creates a complex legal and administrative tangle.

3. Military discipline and public image
   For the navy and wider armed forces, Lt. Yerima’s conduct offered a positive public moment: demonstration of discipline, respect while under pressure, and a message that the military takes its duties and its interaction with civilians seriously. This is significant for an institution often under criticism for public perception.

4. Questions of authority and accountability
   The incident raises questions around who gave the orders that led to the deployment in the first place; whether that deployment was appropriate; how a minister should respond to uniformed personnel; and how disputes of this nature should be resolved — through force, negotiation, or legal process.

5. Media, public opinion and symbolism
   The quick amplification of the video, the social media commentary, and the symbolic statements by the defence establishments show how modern media can make individual incidents into national-scale events. Yerima’s one line — “I am a commissioned officer acting on orders” — morphed into a symbol of duty and military professionalism in some quarters. 

In Summary

Lieutenant A.M. Yerima is a rising-profile officer of the Nigerian Navy whose moment in the public eye came via a confrontation with the FCT Minister over a disputed land parcel. His background in both civilian education and military training, combined with his calm professionalism under pressure, has won him praise. At the same time, the incident itself opens up wider debates about the military’s place in public and civic affairs, land governance in Abuja, and the relationship between elected officials and uniformed personnel.

In many ways, Yerima’s face-off with Minister Wike is more than a clash between two individuals — it’s a snapshot of how authority, duty, legality, and public office intersect in Nigeria today.