Wike, Sanwo-Olu, Fashola & Obiano: Four Nigerian Politicians Who Had Public Exchanges With Soldiers [ VIDEO ]

Wike, Fashola, Sanwo-Olu  these names represent strong personalities in Nigerian politics. Over the years, each has faced tense moments involving military personnel, either during official duties or enforcement actions.

Such scenarios often spark national conversation about leadership, authority, and the thin line between state power and federal security control.

In Nigeria’s complex governance structure, elected state leaders and uniformed personnel often operate with overlapping responsibilities.

Although governors are referred to as “Chief Security Officers” of their states, many security agencies including military formations answer to the federal level.

This overlapping authority sometimes gives rise to public exchanges where questions of control, jurisdiction and leadership are brought into sharp view.

1. Nyesom Wike — The Recent Face-Off in Abuja 

Former Rivers State governor and current FCT Minister Nyesom Wike has long been known for assertive presence in public office. His most recent episode occurred in Abuja, when his convoy arrived at a plot of land linked to a former naval chief. According to Punchng

A naval officer and soldiers reportedly prevented access to the site while Wike’s team insisted on the right to inspect and proceed.

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The incident spurred commentary from former Chief of Army Staff Lt-Gen. Tukur Buratai (rtd.), who described the minister’s interaction as one that “undermines the authority of the Commander-in-Chief” and warned that public altercations between politicians and serving officers could weaken the chain of command.

Wike was quoted in the viral footage saying:

“We have every right to be here; we are on official business.”

wike’s rain is coming to an end, who else must have given a soldier order not to allow a whole fct minister wike from entering the land, I sense that wike has been used they are now trying to dump and ridicule him wow. pic.twitter.com/Xp0GtxnoF5

— Harrison Jude 🪽 (@Im_InvestorHJ) November 11, 2025

This recent incident echoes past moments when Wike challenged soldiers or security personnel under his previous role as Rivers governor for example during the COVID-19 lockdown enforcement in Port Harcourt, when he confronted soldiers regarding a hotel alleged to be operating in violation of state orders.

The latest exchange adds a fresh chapter, showing that the tensions between state-oriented political duty and federal security presence remain very real.

2. Babajide Sanwo-Olu — Lekki Toll Gate Crisis 

In the final week of October 2020, Lagos State found itself at the centre of a national crisis when the youth-led EndSARS protests movement called for an end to police brutality and the disbanding of the infamous Special Anti‑Robbery Squad (SARS).

On 20 October, hundreds of demonstrators gathered at the toll gate located at the Admiralty Circle Plaza (often called “Lekki Toll Gate”) in Lagos, pleading for reform and accountability.

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At around 4 p.m., the governor announced a 24-hour curfew to take effect from 4 p.m. that day. Later, street-lights at the toll gate were switched off and surveillance cameras were reportedly removed.

By evening, the presence of soldiers was confirmed. A judicial panel later found that the military “surrounded protesters at the toll gate and opened fire” and refused ambulances access.

Governor Sanwo-Olu addressed the public in the following weeks. In a speech on 30 November 2021, he said:

“My dear good people of Lagos State, … what we all seek in common is a land in which we are all safe and secure, law-enforcement agents are trusted, and justice is guaranteed for all.”

The Judicial Panel of Inquiry established by the state found that at least 11 people were killed, 4 missing, 21 wounded. The military was found “culpable” in the shootings.

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The after-effects of the incident linger: the state government admitted injury and death cases, compensation processes commenced, and public trust in state-federal security coordination was deeply shaken.

For Governor Sanwo-Olu, the incident remains one of the defining moments of his tenure  one that required him to publicly navigate between state responsibility and federal security authority.

3. Babatunde Raji Fashola — BRT Lane Enforcement (2012)

During his tenure as Governor of Lagos State (2007–2015), and as a public figure thereafter, Fashola established a reputation for firm enforcement of regulation, especially in traffic and urban order.

One widely noted event took place on 18 July 2012 when Fashola personally confronted two soldiers  a Colonel and a Staff Sergeant  who were driving in the dedicated Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) lane at Outer Marina, Lagos.
According to the report:

• The vehicles involved: a military-green Peugeot 406 and a black Toyota Camry driven by the soldiers.

• Governor Fashola intervened directly, asked the soldiers to stop, and had them brought before enforcement officials.

He was quoted:

“Why, as a senior military officer, would you choose to break the law instead of preserving it?”

After the public incident, some soldiers reportedly retaliated  the Lagos state taskforce unit claimed soldiers threw stones and knives at their vehicle tyres.

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Though this specific scenario did not evolve into a full “confrontation with soldiers on duty,” it remains significant because it shows a sitting governor challenging military officers over compliance with state regulations.

It highlighted a governance point: uniformed personnel are also subject to civilian laws in the state jurisdiction.
Additionally, Fashola once publicly condemned the deployment of soldiers for traffic enforcement in Lagos, reinforcing that urban regulatory enforcement is primarily a civilian/state task.

Thus, the Fashola example stands out as the “discipline and regulation” variant of politician-soldier interaction: not viral shooting or protest but a direct challenge to military privilege in a civilian domain.

4. Willie Obiano — Checkpoint Delay in Anambra State

Although less-publicised than the Lagos incidents, former Anambra State Governor Willie Obiano also had a confrontational moment with uniformed personnel.

His convoy on official duty in Onitsha was stopped at a military checkpoint during the evening. The soldiers reportedly delayed passage for several minutes.
At that point, Obiano exited his vehicle and engaged the officers, reportedly saying

“We are on official duty. Please allow us to continue.”

While the exact timeliness and full context of the dialogue are less fully documented in mainstream sources, the incident reflects the friction that can occur when a state government official’s movement intersects with military operations.

Some observers note that the South-East region has more frequent military deployments on highways and major roads, which can create friction with governance and development agendas.

This confrontation though not as documented as Lekki or Lagos lane arrests serves as an example of individual state leadership pushing back when they perceive movement or authority is being inadvertently impeded by federal security deployments.