By Linus Aleke, Abuja
The Nigerian Army (NA), has finally bowed to pressure from the civil society organizations to withdraw troops from the popular Banex plaza to allow hundreds of innocent traders whose livelihoods are dependent on the plaza to go back to their business.
The civil society organizations argued that the action of the Nigerian Army in closing down the plaza was not only inhuman but also violated all known national and international legal instruments.
The Nigerian Army had deployed troops to enforce the closure order of the plaza following a disagreement between soldiers and a shop owner which led to unwarranted fracas between yet-to-be-identified hoodlums and personnel of the Nigerian Army on Saturday 18 May 2024.
In an update on the ongoing imbroglio, the Director, of Army Public Relations, Major General Onyema Nwachukwu said, the Nigerian Army wishes to provide the latest update on the recent unfortunate event involving an unprovoked attack by unidentified hoodlums on Nigerian Army personnel at Banex Plaza, Wuse, Abuja, which occurred on Saturday 18 May 2024, leading to the closure of the Plaza on Sunday 19 May 2024.
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He noted that 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 Abuja Environmental Protection Board, and the National Chairman of the Mobile Phone Traders Association.
The primary objective of this meeting, he said was to identify and apprehend the perpetrators and ensure the continued security of the Federal Capital Territory.
General Nwachukwu noted that the following resolutions were agreed upon during the meeting, “Immediate reopening of Banex Plaza: Banex Plaza will be reopened immediately to the public. Closure of Shop C93: The leadership of Banex Plaza is instructed to lock up Shop C93 with immediate effect. Arrest of Perpetrators: The owners of the shop who orchestrated the mob attack on the soldiers are to be arrested and handed over to the Nigerian Police.Vigilance by Market Leaders: 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, he added will also thoroughly investigate the circumstances surrounding the presence of its personnel at the plaza and the subsequent attack.
He reiterated that acts of violence against military personnel are not only condemnable but also pose a significant threat to national security and public order.
The Service also urged members of the public to exercise caution and restraint when interacting with military personnel and other security operatives, especially when they are in uniform.
Nwachukwu explained that there are established channels for reporting grievances or misconduct by personnel to the appropriate authorities, stressing that these channels must be utilized to maintain order and respect for those who serve and protect our nation.
The Nigerian Army, he said remains committed to ensuring the safety and security of all citizens and will continue to work diligently to prevent such incidents in the future.
Recall that Global Rights, a civil society group had last week urged the leadership of the Nigerian Army to reopen the plaza with immediate effect as its decision and action in closing down the plaza offends national and international legal instruments.
