Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has dismissed as false the viral reports claiming 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.
In a statement posted on his X (formerly Twitter) account on Thursday, Atiku’s Media Adviser, Paul Ibe, described the circulating story as baseless, fabricated, and entirely without foundation.
“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 stated.
He urged the public to disregard the claim, which first appeared on Facebook on Wednesday and quickly spread across multiple online platforms.
The viral post alleged that Atiku had rewarded the naval officer for allegedly standing up to Minister Wike during a heated encounter over a disputed plot of land in the Gaduwa District of Abuja.
The confrontation, which occurred on Tuesday, was captured in a video widely shared online.
The footage showed Minister Wike engaging in a tense exchange with a uniformed naval officer, who identified himself as Lt. Yerima and insisted he was protecting property belonging to the Nigerian Navy.
The altercation has sparked widespread public debate, with many Nigerians weighing in on the conduct of both parties.
Prominent figures, including former Chief of Army Staff Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai (rtd) and several political leaders, have called for restraint and mutual respect between government institutions.
Atiku’s camp, however, maintained that the former vice president had no involvement whatsoever in the matter, describing the social media report as a deliberate attempt to mislead the public.
“This story is not only false but a clear act of misinformation aimed at dragging His Excellency’s name into an issue he knows nothing about,” Ibe added.
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