By Joshua Tosin Ogunsakin 
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has refuted claims that he gifted a new Toyota SUV to Lieutenant Ahmed Yerima, the naval officer involved in a recent confrontation with the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike.
In a statement shared on his X account on Thursday, Atiku’s Media Adviser, Paul Ibe, described the reports, which have been widely shared on social media, as entirely false.
Ibe urged Nigerians to ignore the circulating story, saying:
“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.
“The story is entirely fabricated and should be completely disregarded by the public,” he added.
The false claim first appeared on Facebook on Wednesday, suggesting that Atiku rewarded the naval officer after his reported altercation with Wike over an alleged land dispute in Abuja.
The incident in question took place on Tuesday during an inspection of a contested plot in the Gaduwa District of the FCT. Video footage circulating online showed Wike engaged in a tense exchange with Lt. Yerima, who insisted he was safeguarding naval property.
The confrontation has attracted reactions from the public and political figures, including former Chief of Army Staff Gen. Tukur Buratai (rtd), who called for calm and respect for institutional authority.