JUST IN: Traders, Customers Stranded As Soldiers Shut Banex Plaza

• Banex Plaza in Abuja remained closed on Monday, with soldiers stationed throughout the market.

• The closure followed an incident where thugs allegedly assaulted soldiers after a disagreement involving a faulty phone sale.

• Despite police intervention, soldiers returned to the plaza, forcing traders to shut down, with videos showing soldiers pursuing and punishing individuals.

EKO HOT BLOG reports that Banex Plaza, a prominent electronics and telecommunications market in Abuja, remained closed and inaccessible on Monday morning, leaving traders and customers stranded. Journalists who visited the market observed soldiers stationed throughout the plaza.

According to reports, a group of traders gathered at a distance from the plaza, hoping it would open, but they were eventually dispersed after waiting for several hours.

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Although the traders were unwilling to speak to the media, Daily Trust reported that they expressed frustration over the financial impact of the closure on such a significant business day.

Trouble started at the market when a group of thugs allegedly assaulted some soldiers who had a minor disagreement with a trader within the plaza.

Reportedly, the trader had sold a faulty phone to an individual who then called upon the soldiers for assistance. Instead of resolving the issue peacefully, the trader allegedly enlisted the help of the thugs, who proceeded to attack the soldiers.

At least two soldiers and another civilian were targeted by the thugs, who operated in separate groups and subjected them to physical abuse.

Despite the police’s intervention to restore order, the soldiers later arrived at the plaza, compelling the traders to immediately shut down their businesses.

Several videos circulating on social media depicted soldiers pursuing and punishing individuals within a crowd.

Upon visiting the scene on Monday morning, military vehicles were observed stationed at various locations within the plaza.

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Additionally, troops in their vans were seen patrolling Banex Plaza in Wuse 2, Abuja.

As of the time this report was filed, the army had not provided an official statement regarding the incident at the plaza, and the Nigerian Army’s spokesman, Major General Onyema Nwachukwu, had remained silent on the matter.

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