Officers of the Nigeria Army have reportedly shut down Banex Plaza, a shopping complex located in the Wuse 2 area of the Federal Capital Territory. This action followed attacks on some of their personnel over the weekend.
Mr. Somto, a trader at the nearby Emab Plaza, confirmed this information during a phone call with our correspondent on Monday. He mentioned, “Yes, Banex is locked down. We are not affected by it though. And some men of the army are here.”
Another shop owner, who operates an Apple products store at Banex Plaza and requested anonymity, also confirmed the situation. He explained that the complex was closed due to the incident involving the army and traders. “No, we are not open. You know because of the issue that happened, the army has locked down the place. At each gate of Banex now, there is a Hilux vehicle, an army Hilux. They won’t even let you cross the place,” he said. He added that they were still in discussions with the army and hoped that the plaza might reopen soon, “But maybe between tomorrow and next, it will be open, we don’t know. We are still on it, having meetings with them.”
Ultimateblog.click reported that the FCT Police Command had deployed officers from the Intelligence Response Team to the area on Saturday. This deployment came after a conflict erupted between traders and some soldiers.
A video that went viral on social media platform X showed civilians overpowering soldiers in a brawl at Banex Plaza. The FCT Police Command, through a statement by its spokesperson Josephine Adeh on Saturday night, said that peace had been restored in the area.
The confrontation reportedly started when a buyer, accompanied by four soldiers, demanded a refund for a faulty phone, which the shop owner refused. This refusal led to a confrontation between the shop owner and the soldiers. Subsequently, some irate youths attacked the military officer, causing an uproar in the area.
In response to the attack on their personnel, the Nigeria Army reportedly stormed Banex Plaza on Saturday evening. They were seen beating passersby and standing guard around the complex. A circulating video also showed soldiers punishing some individuals in the area.
The shut down of Banex Plaza has caused significant disruption, and many shop owners and traders are uncertain about when they will be able to resume their business activities. The situation remains tense as negotiations between the traders and the military continue.
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