The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has imposed a controversial ban on the use of mobile phones by staff of the Abuja Geographic Information Systems (AGIS) and the Department of Land Administration, sparking outrage among civil servants and labour activists.
The new directive, contained in an internal memo sighted by SaharaReporters, prohibits officers on Salary Grade Level 14 and below from entering office premises with their mobile phones beginning Wednesday, November 12, 2025.
According to the memo issued by the Head of AGIS, Chijioke Nwankwoeze, the restriction is part of a new office policy aimed at “maintaining discipline and information security” within the agency.
The statement read 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.”
The memo reportedly applies to all staff of AGIS and the Department of Land Administration located within the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) complex.
Sources within AGIS told SaharaReporters that the order was issued less than 24 hours after videos of Wike’s heated confrontation with a naval officer over a disputed property in Abuja went viral on WhatsApp and other social media platforms.
According to one senior staff member, the minister was angered by how widely the footage circulated among government workers.
“The minister was furious that the videos were shared among staff. He saw it as an act of sabotage. This phone ban is his way of showing anger,” the source claimed.
The confrontation, which took place at the Gaduwa District of Abuja, had drawn national attention after Wike was seen accusing a naval officer of illegally guarding a construction site allegedly linked to a former Chief of Naval Staff.
Another civil servant who spoke anonymously described the order as impractical and counterproductive. “Most of us use our phones for official communication. How do we work effectively without them?” he asked.
As of press time, the Federal Capital Territory Administration had not issued any official clarification or statement addressing the public outcry over the controversial policy.
See the directive below:
