Lt Am Yerima Biography
Am Yerima was born on July 20, 1992 in Kaduna State, Nigeria, and he grew up in Kaduna city in the northwest. From a young age he showed discipline and a quiet determination that later guided his life in uniform. He was admitted to Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria in 2011 to study Mass Communication in the Faculty of Social Sciences, a path he later redirected when he moved to military training at the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA) in Kaduna. Am Yerima is 33 years old as of 2025.
Lt Am Yerima Career
Lieutenant Yerima serves in the Nigerian Navy and holds the rank of Lieutenant. He has been attached to elite units and is known to operate with the Special Boat Service, the Navy’s special operations wing. He served aboard the Nigerian Navy Ship NNS Kada and took part in international exercises that built his operational experience, including Exercise Flintlock in 2018 held in Agadez, Niger. Over the years he earned recognition inside service circles for professional conduct, discipline, and a visible commitment to following lawful orders. His career path — switching from a civilian university program into full military training and then special operations service — highlights a clear focus on service and tactical skill.
Lt Am Yerima Controversies With Wike
On November 11, 2025, Lieutenant AM Yerima became widely known across Nigeria after a tense confrontation in the Gaduwa District of Abuja. The incident happened at Plot 1946, a parcel of land that the FCT administration said was under dispute and linked to a retired Chief of Naval Staff. Officials from the Federal Capital Territory, led by Minister Nyesom Wike, arrived to enforce a stop-work or control order. Naval officers led by Lt. Yerima had deployed to guard the site amid claims the land was being protected by military personnel.
Video footage from that day shows Minister Wike attempting to enter the site and being stopped by military personnel who formed a human barrier. The minister and the officer exchanged heated words, with Wike angrily telling the officer to “shut up” and the officer replying he would not be silenced and that he was acting on orders. The short, sharp exchange and the dramatic visuals of a uniformed officer standing his ground against a sitting minister made the clip go viral and sparked wide debate around the country.
Public reaction was immediate and mixed. Many people praised Lieutenant Yerima for his calm stance and for appearing to act within the chain of command. Others questioned the appropriateness of military personnel guarding private land, and legal voices urged caution about turning the moment into a symbol without full facts. The debate moved quickly from social media to mainstream news and commentary, with some commentators defending the officer and others urging that civilian authorities and military channels resolve such disputes privately to avoid undermining public trust. The clip became a focal point in larger conversations about land governance, rule of law, and the proper lines between civil authority and military duty.
Beyond social media debate, a formal veterans’ group publicly condemned the way the minister spoke to a uniformed officer. The Coalition of Military Veterans described the confrontation as “disgraceful and unbecoming of a public office holder,” and urged that grievances should have been taken up through the Chief of Naval Staff rather than in public. The veterans’ group warned that any punitive action against the officer for following orders would meet strong opposition from ex-service members. This reaction from veterans highlighted how the incident tapped into deeper concerns about respect for service members and the need for clear procedures when civil officials have disputes with military personnel.
Why This Moment Matters
The faceoff involving Lt. Yerima matters because it shows how a single moment can spark national discussion on several urgent issues. It raised questions about how land disputes are handled in Abuja, how civilian authorities should interact with the military, and how respect for institutions is preserved in public conduct. The episode also emphasized the human side of duty: a young officer in uniform, following orders and trying to fulfill his role, while a high-ranking civilian official tried to assert administrative control. For many Nigerians the image of calm professionalism on the one hand and sharp political temper on the other became a clear and troubling symbol of how friction between institutions can quickly become public drama.
Conclusion
The events of November 11, 2025 pushed him into the national spotlight and prompted a broad debate about military-civil relations, land governance, and public respect for uniformed officers. Whether one sees him as simply following orders or as a figure of quiet courage, the episode underlines the need for clear rules, better communication between civilian and military leaders, and respect for lawful processes to prevent similar clashes in future.
FAQs
Who is Lt A.M. Yerima and where is he from?
Lt A.M. Yerima is a naval officer from Kaduna State, Nigeria, who grew up in Kaduna city and later trained at the Nigerian Defence Academy before serving in the Nigerian Navy.
What happened between Lt Yerima and FCT Minister Wike?
On November 11, 2025, at Plot 1946 in Gaduwa, Abuja, Minister Wike and his team clashed with military personnel led by Lt Yerima over a disputed land, an encounter that was captured on video and widely shared.
Why did the incident draw the attention of military veterans?
A veterans’ coalition condemned the minister’s public language toward a uniformed officer and argued that grievances should be handled through military leadership, not public confrontation.
What broader issues did the confrontation raise?
The clash raised questions about land governance in Abuja, the boundaries between civilian authority and military roles, and how public officials should address disputes involving uniformed personnel.
Collins Smith is a journalist and writer who focuses on commercial biomaterials and the use of green hydrogen in industry. He has 11 years of experience reporting on biomaterials, covering new technologies, market trends, and sustainability solutions. He holds a BSc and an MSc in Biochemistry, which helps him explain scientific ideas clearly to both technical and business readers.
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