Nigerian Army to probe attack on personnel

The Nigerian Army said it would investigate Saturday’s attack on two of its personnel at the popular Banex Plaza in Abuja.

Spokesperson of the army, Onyema Nwachukwu, a major general, disclosed this in a WhatsApp message to PREMIUM TIMES.

He did not, however, indicate when the probe would commence and the method it would take.

“The incident will be investigated and appropriate actions taken to address it,” Mr Nwachukwu said.

This newspaper reported that a mob assaulted two soldiers at the plaza last Saturday.

How the incident started

This newspaper gathered that the incident occurred when a lady who bought an iPhone 15 from a shop owned by one Suleiman Ibrahim some weeks back returned the set, accompanied by the soldiers.

The lady, it was learnt, complained about the battery of the Apple phone, believed to be worth over a million and wanted it exchanged for another one.

Mr Ibrahim, however, turned down the request, arguing that the phone had lasted for too long with the lady.

The soldiers insisted the seller should do their bidding, prompting him to invite police personnel, who were attacked by the soldiers.

“The soldiers are young boys my age, but I think they are three-star soldiers,” a POS operator, Wasiu Yakubu, told this newspaper.

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“They were three police officers, but the soldier didn’t respect them; it was while they were dragging with the officers that the teargas were mistakenly released. I am giving you the correct information, and I can prove it,” another witness said.

It was at this point that other shop owners, apparently to protect Mr Ibrahim and feeling that their business was being disrupted, attacked the soldiers.

Following the attack, some military personnel stormed the plaza in Hilux vans and chased the traders away.

When PREMIUM TIMES visited the plaza on Sunday evening, about 11 soldiers and three Hilux vans were seen mounting roadblocks while sealing off the entrances to the plaza.

The soldiers declined to comment when approached by this reporter.

“I cannot talk now, but you can come tomorrow. People were also here in the morning, but I guess you should come early tomorrow (Monday) morning,” he said

Mr Yakubu, who said he was among those who ran away, said though the military personnel are not harassing people, their vehicles are still stationed around the plaza.

“I ran for my life when the Hilux came in; four Hilux came here yesterday with soldiers in them all; they are like a million, but today only three Hilux remain here,” Mr Yakubu said.

Although the police have yet to speak on the incident, about three persons have been reportedly arrested.