Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister Nyesom Wike has ordered a sweeping ban on mobile phone use by staff of the Abuja Geographic Information Systems (AGIS) and the Department of Land Administration, according to an internal memo obtained by SaharaReporters.

The directive, effective Wednesday, November 12, 2025, prohibits all officers on Salary Grade Level 14 and below from bringing their phones into office premises. 

The memo, signed by AGIS Head Chijioke Nwankwoeze, states: “There shall be a ban on the use of mobile phones within the office premises for all officers on Salary Grade Level (SGL) 14 and below… affected staff are not permitted to enter the premises with their mobile phones henceforth.”

Insiders revealed the order came barely 24 hours after videos of Wike’s h+ated confrontation with a Naval officer at a disputed Abuja property went viral on WhatsApp groups allegedly shared by AGIS employees. “The minister was furious that the videos circulated among staff. He saw it as an act of sabotage,” one source said.

The phone ban has drawn sharp criticism from civil rights advocates and workers who described it as “primitive” and “draconian.” A labour activist told SaharaReporters, “It’s absurd that in 2025, a minister would ban phones in a public agency because of a viral video. This is not leadership—it’s paranoia in power.”

Meanwhile, the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) condemned Wike over the viral video, accusing him of verbally assaulting a Naval officer performing lawful duty. 

In a statement signed by its President, Comrade Atiku Isah, NANS commended the officer’s restraint and urged President Bola Tinubu to caution the minister, saying the group “will not sit idly by while those who served the nation in uniform are disrespected.”