The Nigerian Army has officially declared the reopening of Banex Plaza, situated in the Wuse 2 area of Abuja, after its closure following a violent incident on May 18, 2024. The plaza was shut down following an altercation between soldiers and hoodlums amidst chaotic circumstances within the premises. The soldiers had escorted a customer, facing issues with a purchased phone, to the plaza, where the confrontation took place. The decision to resume operations at the plaza followed a meeting convened at the Office of the National Security Adviser, involving plaza management and heads of security agencies in the Federal Capital Territory.

Maj. Gen. Onyema Nwachukwu, the Director of Army Public Relations, outlined the meeting’s outcomes, which included the immediate reopening of Banex Plaza to the public. Furthermore, Shop C93, the location of the attack, was to remain closed indefinitely, and the individuals responsible for orchestrating the assault were to be apprehended and handed over to the Nigeria Police. Market leaders were tasked with maintaining vigilance and reporting any remaining perpetrators to the authorities.

Two suspects associated with the incident were already in custody and had been transferred to the Nigerian Army Corps of Military Police for further investigation. Maj. Gen. Onyema stressed the importance of exercising caution when interacting with military personnel and other security operatives, emphasizing that violence against them was unacceptable and posed a threat to national security. He encouraged the public to utilize established channels to report grievances or misconduct by personnel. The Nigerian Army reaffirmed its commitment to protecting citizens and pledged to prevent similar incidents in the future.