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Civil society coalition demands Wike’s dismissal, calling the Abuja confrontation with a naval officer a disgrace to the Tinubu administration.
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Group seeks probe into alleged illegal land conversions in FCT, including green areas, hospitals and public assets.
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COCTA urges President Tinubu to appoint Tein Jack-Rich as a more competent replacement for the minister.
The Conference of Civil Society for Transparency and Accountability (COCTA) has intensified calls for President Bola Tinubu to sack the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Chief Nyesom Wike, over his confrontation with a naval officer in Abuja.
The demand followed the circulation of a video on November 11 showing Wike in a heated exchange with a naval officer at a disputed plot of land in the Federal Capital Territory.
In a statement signed by its National Director of Communication and Advocacy, Haruna Abdulsalam, COCTA described the incident as an embarrassment to the Tinubu administration, arguing that no minister should be seen intimidating security personnel performing their lawful duties.
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The coalition urged Tinubu to set up an independent panel to investigate alleged widespread abuses in FCT land administration, including the conversion of green areas into private estates, unauthorised revocation of land titles, and the sale of public spaces originally designated for hospitals and essential infrastructure.
According to COCTA, it has compiled documentary evidence and petitions showing questionable land allocations and undue influence by powerful individuals.
The group further recommended the appointment of Engineer Tein Jack-Rich, an APC chieftain from Rivers State, as a more competent and community-focused alternative capable of restoring integrity to the ministry.
COCTA also commended human rights lawyer Femi Falana, Minister of Defence Mohammed Badaru, and Minister of State for Defence Bello Matawalle for insisting that no punitive action should be taken against the naval officer involved in the encounter.
The coalition reaffirmed its commitment to promoting accountability, transparency and environmental protection, stressing that Abuja residents deserve a fair and sustainable urban development system.
