Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has refuted claims linking him to a viral report alleging that he gifted a brand-new Toyota SUV to Lieutenant Ahmed Yerima the naval officer involved in a recent confrontation with the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike.
The controversy stemmed from a social media post that suggested Atiku rewarded Lt. Yerima following his clash with the minister during an inspection of a disputed plot of land in Abuja’s Gaduwa District.
However, in a statement released on Thursday by his Media Adviser, Paul Ibe, the former Vice President described the report as “entirely false and baseless,” urging Nigerians to disregard what he called a “fabricated story.”
“His Excellency Atiku Abubakar, Vice President of Nigeria (1999–2007), did not gift Lt. Ahmed Yerima or any other individual a brand new Toyota SUV, contrary to the false reports currently circulating on social media,” Ibe said via his X handle, @omonlakiki.
The alleged altercation between Wike and the naval officer had gone viral after a video surfaced online showing both men in a heated exchange, with Yerima insisting he was protecting naval property.
The incident has since drawn mixed reactions from the public and prominent Nigerians, including former Chief of Army Staff, Gen. Tukur Buratai (rtd), who called for restraint and mutual respect between civil authorities and security institutions.
