The Nigerian Army says the popular Banex plaza in the Wuse 2 area of Abuja was temporarily shut down to enable the arrest of the hoodlums who attacked two soldiers at the complex.

The plaza witnessed a crisis last Saturday, May 18, after some traders engaged two soldiers in a fight. Witnesses said the soldiers visited the plaza to complain about a phone, which caused an argument with the traders, after which fighting ensued. After the incident, many shop owners and traders quickly closed for the day to avoid being caught up in a reprisal attack, CEOAFRICA reports.

On Monday, military personnel stormed the plaza in about five Hilux vehicles and shut down the plaza.

In a statement released on Tuesday, May 21, Onyema Nwachukwu, the army spokesperson, said the assaulted soldiers were unarmed and did not engage in any form of aggression. He stated that a meeting was convened with the management of the plaza to identify and arrest the perpetrators of the attack.

The statement in part reads; “In response to this unfortunate incident, a meeting was convened with the management of Banex Plaza to identify and apprehend the perpetrators of this heinous act by temporarily shutting down activities in the plaza to ensure that the hoodlums who have been using the Banex neighbourhood as a sanctuary to pose a security threat to the Federal Capital Territory were apprehended.

This investigation ultimately aims at ensuring the security of the Federal Capital Territory and to prevent such unwarranted attacks on own personnel and other security operatives, as has been observed in other areas, such as the unfortunate attack in Okuama.

The Nigerian Army will equally ensure that it diligently investigates the circumstances surrounding the presence of the personnel at the plaza and the attack that ensued.

Nonetheless, such acts of violence against personnel are not only condemnable but could degenerate into a breakdown of law and order, orchestrating threats to national security.”