The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has allegwdly ordered a sweeping ban on the use of mobile phones by staff of the Abuja Geographic Information Systems (AGIS) and the Department of Land Administration.
The controversial directive, contained in an internal memo sighted by SaharaReporters, targets all officers on Salary Grade Level 14 and below, forbidding them from entering office premises with their mobile phones beginning Wednesday, November 12, 2025.
The memo, issued by the Head of AGIS, Chijioke Nwankwoeze, on behalf of the Management, 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 (SGL) 14 and below… affected staff are not permitted to enter the premises with their mobile phones henceforth.”
SaharaReporters gathered 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.
“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 who asked not to be named.
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.
A Labour activist who asked not to be Ned, said: “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.”
As at the time of filing this report, no official clarification has been issued by the FCT Administration regarding the controversial directive.
