Fact-check: Naval officer in Wike altercation not son of ex-Army spokesman, raised in Rivers State

The naval officer involved in the recent heated confrontation with FCT Minister Nyesom Wike was raised in Rivers State, where the Minister previously served as Governor, according to a PRNigeria fact-check.
The investigation also debunked widely circulated social media claims that the officer is the son of a retired Army spokesperson and was on an illegal assignment.
The altercation between Minister Wike and Lieutenant A.M. Yarima of the Nigerian Navy in the Gaduwa District of Abuja sparked widespread speculation, with many posts linking the officer to retired Brigadier-General Mohammed M. Yerima.
A video of the incident between the Minister and the young naval officer sparked widespread speculation on social media, with many posts linking Lt. Yarima to retired Brigadier-General Mohammed M. Yerima, the former Director of Army Public Relations.
Some social media users also questioned the legality of the officer’s presence at the scene, alleging he was on unauthorised duty.
PRNigeria’s investigation, based on official service records and credible sources, found no evidence of a family relationship between Lt. A.M. Yarima and Brig.-Gen. Yerima (rtd).
While both men are from Yobe State, they hail from different local government areas. Brig.-Gen. Yerima is from Bade Local Government Area, while Lt. Yarima is from Fune Local Government Area.
Lt. Yarima’s parents, Alhaji Abdullahi Adam Yarima and Hajiya Hajara Yarima, were civilians and are both deceased. Brig.-Gen. Yerima, however, is alive and currently engaged in agriculture and private business.
Born on February 8, 1993, Lt. Yarima was raised in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, where Minister Wike served as Governor from 2015 to 2023. PRNigeria reveals that he attended several schools in the city, including Sovina Model Schools, Evangel Academy, Treasure Memorial Schools, and Victory Comprehensive College.
He later gained admission into the Nigerian Defence Academy as a member of the 64 Regular Course and was commissioned on September 22, 2017. He rose through the ranks from Midshipman in September 2016 to Sub-Lieutenant in September 2017, and to Lieutenant in September 2022.
At the time of the incident, Lt. Yarima was serving as a security officer attached to Vice-Admiral Awwal Zubairu Gambo, the immediate past Chief of Naval Staff, who served from January 29, 2021, to June 23, 2023.
Under Nigerian military regulations, retired service chiefs are entitled to retain security aides and orderlies as part of their post-retirement benefits. These provisions are covered under the Military Pensions Act, Defence Headquarters regulations, and presidential or ministerial approvals.
A senior military official, speaking on condition of anonymity, explained that such assignments are not personal favours but formal, regulated responsibilities.
“Once an officer is officially assigned to a principal—whether serving or retired—that becomes an authorised deployment,” the official said. “Any instructions received within that assigned capacity are binding and lawful. Protecting the principal’s interests is part of the officer’s duty.”
The source added that statements from defence and security leaders have affirmed that the officer was acting within his official mandate.
Therefore, PRNigeria Factcheck concludes that the claim that Lt. A.M. Yarima is related to Brig.-Gen. Mohammed M. Yerima is false and appears to be based solely on a surname similarity. Additionally, his presence at the scene while serving as a retired naval chief was legitimate and in accordance with military regulations.