Wike Bans Mobile Phones at AGIS After Viral Naval Officer Video

Ministry of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) boss, Nyesom Wike, has imposed a sweeping prohibition on mobile phone use for staff of the Abuja Geographic Information System (AGIS) and the Department of Land Administration. The directive targets all employees at Salary Grade Level 14 and below, barring them from bringing mobile phones into office premises effective Wednesday, November 12, 2025. This measure follows the circulation of a video capturing Wike’s heated verbal altercation with a Naval officer, which reportedly spread rapidly among AGIS workers, an act Wike perceives as sabotage.

The internal memo, signed by AGIS Head Chijioke Nwankwoeze, explicitly states that affected staff “are not permitted to enter the premises with their mobile phones henceforth,” enforcing a complete ban on phone use within the office environment. AGIS insiders suggest the order emerged just 24 hours after the public dissemination of the viral video showcasing Wike’s confrontation with the military officer at a disputed property site in Abuja’s Gaduwa district.

The confrontation arose when Wike confronted the officer guarding land allegedly owned by a former Chief of Naval Staff. Wike accused the armed personnel of abusing their position to intimidate over property rights, a dispute which escalated into a publicized verbal clash. Opposition to Wike’s behavior and the phone ban has been swift from labour activists and civil rights advocates who describe the ban as draconian, antiquated, and emblematic of authoritarian tendencies within Wike’s administration.

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The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has also publicly condemned the minister’s conduct. In a statement by its National President, Comrade Atiku Isah, NANS denounced Wike for verbally assaulting an officer who was lawfully performing his duty. The students praised the military officer’s restraint and professionalism, criticized Wike’s disrespectful demeanor, and called on President Bola Tinubu to admonish the FCT Minister. NANS emphasized that the land in question belongs to a former Chief of Naval Staff who meritoriously served the nation and urged for a respectful, dialogue-driven resolution instead of humiliation and verbal abuse.

As of now, the FCT Administration has not released an official statement addressing the phone ban or the viral video incident. The episode has ignited discussions about leadership style, military-civil relations, and digital privacy in government agencies amid growing concerns about authoritarian decision-making in public office.

ValidViewNetwork reports that this unfolding controversy highlights tensions within the Federal Capital Territory’s administration and has elicited national attention, reflecting broader debates about governance, respect for service personnel, and staff freedoms in Nigeria’s public sector​​.