The Nigerian Army has announced that it has agreed on the immediate reopening of the popular Banex Plaza, in Wuse 2, Abuja.
Gatekeepers News reports that the decision came a week after the plaza was shut down over a clash between some traders and two soldiers of the Nigerian Army.
A fight broke out between some traders and two soldiers who visited the plaza to settle an issue about a phone on May 18Th. The incident made many shop owners and traders quickly close for the day to avoid being caught up in a reprisal attack.
Two days later. some military personnel arrived in about five Hilux vehicles and reportedly shut down the plaza.
The army headquarters however said the plaza was shut down temporarily to enable the arrest of the hoodlums who attacked two soldiers at the complex.
In a statement released on Monday, Oyema Nwachukwu, the director of army public relations, said an agreement was reached after a meeting with the management of the plaza and other stakeholders.
He said, “In response to this incident, a high-level meeting was convened in the Office of the National Security Adviser, including the Principal General Staff Officer to the NSA, the Commissioner of Police FCT, the FCT Director of the Department of State Services, the Leadership and Management of Banex Plaza, a Representative from the Directorate of the Abuja Environmental Protection Board, and the National Chairman of the Mobile Phone Traders Association.”
Nwachukwu added that the meeting aimed to “identify and apprehend the perpetrators of the attack on the soldiers and ensure the continued security of the nation’s capital.”
According to him, at the end of the meeting, they agreed that shop C93, where the incident happened, should be locked up immediately.
The army spokesperson said they also agreed that the owners of the shop who orchestrated the mob attack on the soldiers should be arrested.
He continued “Market leaders are to remain vigilant and report any remaining perpetrators to the authorities.”
“Furthermore, the two individuals already arrested have been handed over to the headquarters of the Nigerian Army Corps of Military Police for further action.”
Going on, he said the army would “thoroughly investigate the circumstances surrounding the presence of its personnel at the plaza and the subsequent attack”.
He added, “It must be reiterated that acts of violence against military personnel are not only condemnable but also pose a significant threat to national security and public order.”
“We therefore urge members of the public to exercise caution and restraint when interacting with military personnel and other security operatives, especially when they are in uniform.”
He emphasized that there are established channels for reporting grievances or misconduct by personnel to the appropriate authorities.
