Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has reportedly ordered a sweeping ban on the use of mobile phones by staff members of the Abuja Geographic Information Systems, AGIS, and the Department of Land Administrations.
The controversial directive, contained in an internal memo, reportedly targeted all officers on Salary Grade Levels 14 and below, forbidding them from entering office premises with their mobile phones beginning from Wednesday, November 12, 2025.
The memo, issued by AGIS Management and signed by the Head of AGIS, Chijioke Nwankwoeze, reads in part: “There shall be a ban on the use of mobile phones within the office premises for all officers on Salary Grade Level 14 and below… affected staff are not permitted to enter the premises with their mobile phones henceforth.”
Sources within AGIS told SaharaReporters that the directive came barely 24 hours after videos of Wike’s heated confrontation with a Naval officer at a disputed property site in Abuja went viral on WhatsApp groups reportedly shared by AGIS staff members.
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“The minister was furious that the videos circulated among staff. He saw it as an act of sabotage. This phone ban is his way of showing anger,” said one source.
The policy has sparked outrage among workers and civil rights advocates, who condemned it as primitive, draconian, and anti-labour. Critics say it reflects Wike’s growing intolerance for criticism and his penchant for authoritarian control.
“It’s absurd that in 2025, a minister would ban phones in a public agency because of a viral video,” one labour activist fumed. “This is not leadership—it’s paranoia in power.”
As of press time, the FCT Administration had yet to issue any official clarifications regarding the controversial directive.
Meanwhile, the National Association of Nigerian Students has condemned Wike for verbally assaulting a naval officer on official duty in the viral video. In a statement signed by its National President, Comrade Atiku Isah, the body said the officer was merely carrying out lawful orders and deserved respect, not humiliation.
NANS urged President Bola Tinubu to caution Wike, warning that it would not sit idly by while public officials’ disrespect those who have served the nation.
Crediblenewsng.com
