Video: Moment Wike refuses to drink from newly commissioned Abuja water project as Shettima takes a sip

• A viral video showed FCT Minister Nyesom Wike refuses to drink from a glass of water during the commissioning of the Karu Water Supply Network.

• Vice President Kashim Shettima and others drank from the newly commissioned water supply as part of the ceremony.

• The project is expected to provide potable water to Karu, Jikwoyi, Kurudu, Orozo and surrounding communities.

A video from the commissioning of the newly completed Karu Water Supply Network and Environs Project in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) has sparked reactions online after FCT Minister Nyesom Wike appeared to pass the glass of water from the facility while Vice President Kashim Shettima took a sip.

The incident occurred on Monday during the official inauguration of the water project, one of the major infrastructure projects completed under the administration of President Bola Tinubu in the FCT.

In the now-viral video, Shettima, who represented President Tinubu at the ceremony, was seen taking a sip of water drawn from the newly commissioned supply network as a symbolic demonstration of confidence in the quality of the water being supplied to residents.

However, Wike, who was standing alongside the vice president during the demonstration, did not drink from his glass, a moment that quickly attracted attention on social media and triggered debate among Nigerians.

An X user wrote:

‘A public servant questioning a public infrastructure made by his office.. what a man. How do you trust who do not trust his work.’

The commissioning ceremony itself marked the completion of a major water infrastructure project designed to provide potable water to residents of Karu, Jikwoyi, Kurudu, Orozo and neighbouring communities in the Abuja Municipal Area Council.

Speaking at the event, Shettima described the project as more than just a physical infrastructure development.

“We are here not just to cut a ribbon, but to breathe life into a fundamental human right that has eluded this bustling community for far too long,” the vice president said.

He noted that access to clean water remains one of the most important indicators of development and said the project would improve public health and quality of life for thousands of residents who have long struggled with inadequate water supply.

The Karu Water Supply Network project includes extensive pipeline installations and supporting infrastructure intended to expand access to treated water across rapidly growing satellite communities on the outskirts of Abuja.

Wike, who has repeatedly highlighted the importance of water infrastructure in the FCT, also praised the completion of the project and recalled that many residents had previously relied on unsafe or unreliable sources of water.

RELATED: Federal Government orders banks to freeze assets of ISIS sponsors in Nigeria — see details

The minister had earlier assured residents during the project's flag-off that the government would return to commission it upon completion.

“By June next year, we will return here to commission this project and the people of Karu, Orozo, Kurudu and neighbouring communities will have access to clean drinking water,” he said during the groundbreaking ceremony.

Despite the project's significance, it was the brief moment captured in the viral video that dominated conversations online, with many users sharing clips and speculating about Wike's decision not to drink from the glass handed to him.

As of the time of filing this report, neither Wike nor officials of the FCT Administration have publicly commented on the viral moment.