By Charles Pemu 
ABUJA—FCT Minister Nyesom Wike is facing fierce condemnation and legal challenges over his recent directive banning staff of the Abuja Geographic Information Systems (AGIS) and the Department of Land Administration from bringing mobile phones into their offices.
Human rights lawyer Tope Temokun described the order as “embarrassing, unconstitutional, and a gross assault on democratic values and labour rights,” in a statement made available on Wednesday.
The controversial order, which was issued via an internal memo, specifically targets all officers on Salary Grade Level 14 and below, forbidding them from possessing their mobile phones within the office premises starting Wednesday, November 12, 2025.
Barrister Temokun strongly suggested that the timing of the ban was a direct, punitive reaction to the viral video of Wike’s recent heated altercation with a naval officer at a disputed property site in Abuja. He argued the ban was aimed at stifling public scrutiny, not improving efficiency.
“That the directive was issued barely twenty-four hours after a video of the Minister’s altercation… went viral, allegedly shared among AGIS staff, shows cowardice and fears for public expose and scrutiny,” Temokun stated.
He labeled the move as a “punitive reaction born of executive anger, not policy reasoning,” and warned that governance must be guided by law and restraint, not the personal temperament of office holders. He concluded that Wike, by regulating communication rights, was arrogating to himself the status of a maximum ruler.
Temokun insisted the ministerial circular is unlawful and unenforceable as it cannot override the Nigerian Constitution. He highlighted that the ban violates Section 39(1), which guarantees the freedom of expression and the right to impart information, and Section 37, which protects the right to privacy of citizens, including public officers.
Furthermore, the lawyer stressed that the policy is discriminatory from a labour standpoint. Singling out officers on specific grade levels while exempting others is a clear breach of the principle of equality of treatment in employment. He described the action as a form of psychological coercion intended to instill fear and submission.
Temokun called Wike’s action a deliberate attempt to “erect a wall of secrecy” around public administration, thereby enabling administrative impunity. He urged the National Human Rights Commission, the Nigeria Labour Congress, and civil society groups to jointly condemn and challenge the “ill-conceived directive” immediately, emphasizing that personal anger cannot be made the source of law.