The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has issued a strict ban on the use of mobile phones by staff of the Abuja Geographic Information Systems (AGIS) and the Department of Land Administration.
The new directive affects officers on Grade Level 14 and below, stopping them from entering their offices with mobile phones starting Wednesday, November 12, 2025.
POLITICS NIGERIA reports that the order came shortly after videos showing Wike’s heated altercation with a Naval officer at a disputed property site in Abuja went viral on social media.
According to an internal memo signed by the Head of AGIS, Chijioke Nwankwoeze, “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.”
Sources within AGIS disclosed that the decision followed the minister’s anger over the viral footage, which was reportedly shared across WhatsApp groups by some staff members “The minister was furious that the videos spread among workers. He felt betrayed and saw it as sabotage,” a source said.
The ban has sparked outrage among staff and civil rights advocates, who describe it as “authoritarian and outdated.” Many have accused the minister of clamping down on transparency in public service.
One labour activist told reporters that the move “shows intolerance and fear of exposure. In this digital age, banning phones is backward and unnecessary.”
As of the time of filing this report, the FCT Administration had not issued any public statement explaining the decision or responding to the backlash.