The Nigerian Army has shut down Banex Plaza, a shopping complex in the Wuse 2 area of Abuja, following an incident over the weekend where soldiers were attacked.
A trader at the nearby Emab Plaza, Mr. Somto, confirmed the closure during a phone call with our correspondent on Monday. “Yes, Banex is locked down. We are not affected by it though. Some men of the Army are here,” he said.
Another shop owner, who wished to remain anonymous, also confirmed the situation. He noted that traders are currently in discussions with the Army. “No, we are not open. Because of the issue that happened, the Army has locked down the place. At each gate of Banex now, there is a Hilux vehicle, Army Hilux.
They won’t even let you cross the place. But maybe between tomorrow and next, it will be open, we don’t know. We are still on it, having meetings with them,” he explained.
Reports indicate that the conflict began on Saturday when a buyer, accompanied by four soldiers, demanded a refund for a faulty phone, which the shop owner resisted.
This confrontation escalated into a physical altercation between traders and the soldiers. A viral video on social media platform X showed civilians overpowering soldiers during the fight at Banex.
The FCT Police Command deployed officers of the Intelligence Response Team to the area after the conflict. In a statement, police spokesperson Josephine Adeh said peace had been restored.
She explained, “This action resulted in a confrontation and squabble with the military personnel. This development led some irate mobs to attack the military personnel which led to an uproar in the environs.”
In response to the attack, Nigerian Army personnel reportedly stormed Banex Plaza on Saturday evening, beating passersby and guards. Another circulating video showed soldiers punishing some individuals.
As of now, traders at Banex Plaza are still in negotiations with the Army, hoping for a resolution that will allow them to reopen their businesses.
