By John Gabriel
The Nigerian Army said it has met with the leadership and management of Banex Plaza, Wuse, over the unprovoked attack by unidentified hoodlums on Nigerian Army personnel and resolved to reopen the plaza immediately.
DAILY POST recalls that unidentified hoodlums, on Saturday, May 18, 2024, launched unprovoked attacks on Nigerian Army personnel at Banex Plaza, Wuse, Abuja, leading to the closure of the plaza.
Major General Onyema Nwachukwu, Director, Army Public Relations, said in a statement that a meeting was convened in the Office of the National Security Adviser in the presence of the Principal General Staff Officer to the NSA, FCT Commissioner of Police, FCT Director of the Department of State Services, a representative of the Directorate of Abuja Environmental Protection Board, and the national chairman of the Mobile Phone Traders Association, where the leadership of Banex Plaza was instructed to lock up Shop C93 with immediate effect.
According to the statement, the owners of the shop that orchestrated the mob attack on the soldiers are to be arrested and handed over to the Nigerian Police.
The statement further added: “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.”
The Nigerian Army said it will also thoroughly investigate the circumstances surrounding the presence of its personnel at the plaza and the subsequent attack.
“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. There are established channels for reporting grievances or misconduct by personnel to the appropriate authorities,” the statement stressed.
