Operatives of the Nigerian Army have shut down Banex Plaza, a shopping complex located in the Wuse 2 area of Abuja, following attacks on some soldiers over the weekend.
This was confirmed by a trader at the nearby Emab Plaza, Mr. Somto, who confirmed this to our correspondent via phone call 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 talked to our correspondent on the condition of anonymity, verified the development and stated that traders are still in talks with the Army.
Chronicle NG reports that the FCT Police Command deployed officers of the Intelligence Response Team to the area on Saturday after a conflict ensued between traders and some soldiers.
A viral video seen by our journalist on X depicted a large number of traders overwhelming some soldiers during free-for-all combat at Banex.
The FCT Police Command, in a statement issued later on Saturday night by its spokesperson, Josephine Adeh, stated that the police had restored quiet in the affected area and that a buyer had gone with four soldiers to demand a refund after the acquired phone exhibited flaws, which the shop owner refused.
“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,” the statement read.
Meanwhile, operatives of the Nigerian Army, in reprisal, reportedly stormed the plaza on Saturday evening, beating passersby and manning guards, while a circulating video also showed the soldiers punishing some individuals.
