Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has debunked reports alleging that 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 released on Thursday via Atiku’s official X handle, his Media Adviser, Paul Ibe, dismissed the viral report as “completely false and without any factual basis.”

Ibe urged members of the public to disregard what he described as a “fabricated story” aimed at misleading Nigerians.

“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,” the statement read.

The viral claim, which first surfaced on Facebook on Wednesday, alleged that Atiku rewarded the naval officer following his reported altercation with Wike over a land dispute in Abuja.

The confrontation occurred on Tuesday when Wike engaged Lt. Yerima during an inspection of a disputed plot of land in the Gaduwa District of the FCT.

A video of the incident, which quickly spread online, captured a heated exchange between the minister and the officer, who insisted he was acting under orders to protect naval property.

The episode has since drawn widespread public attention, prompting reactions from several prominent Nigerians, including former Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai (rtd), and other political figures, who have called for restraint and respect for institutional authority.