A leaked telephone discussion between the Chief of Defence Staff and a military officer connected to the recent face-off with former Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, has been made public. The audio recording, which emerged online on Tuesday, November 12, 2025, provides a firsthand account of the incident from the soldier's perspective.
Soldier's Account of the Site Confrontation
In the call, the soldier, who identified himself as an officer to the Vice Admiral, detailed the events that led to the standoff. He explained that he was present at a construction site based on direct orders. According to his account, workers mobilized to the location had reported being intimidated by police officers.
The soldier stated that policemen threatened to arrest and harass the workers if they did not vacate the site. This information was reportedly brought to his attention, prompting his intervention to address the situation. He repeatedly emphasized to the Defence Chief that his actions were lawful and sanctioned by his superior, the Vice Admiral.
Emerging Tensions Between Security Agencies
The conversation has brought to light the underlying friction between personnel of the Nigerian Army and the Nigeria Police Force. The soldier's remarks suggest a determination from the military side to protect the workers and ensure that the directives of the Vice Admiral were executed without police interference.
This incident underscores the potential for operational conflicts between different branches of the country's security apparatus. The public nature of this leak adds a new dimension to the understanding of the event, which had previously been dominated by video footage of the physical confrontation.
The emergence of this phone call recording is likely to fuel further public discourse and official inquiry into the roles and boundaries of the military and police in such domestic situations.
