CurrentReport Blog Chaos broke out on Saturday at the bustling Banex Plaza phone market in Wuse 2, Abuja, as soldiers and traders clashed over the sale of a defective phone, according to eyewitness accounts and local media reports.
The incident reportedly began with a disagreement between a trader and some soldiers. A source from the market, who preferred to remain anonymous, recounted the events saying, “I am not currently in the market but I called my boys at the shop and they told me there was a disagreement between some boy and soldiers.”
Footage obtained showed a heated argument between a group of young men and two soldiers. The situation escalated quickly as the young men split into smaller groups and launched a fierce attack on their targets. A man in civilian clothing was also assaulted by the mob, though his association with the soldiers remains unclear.
Fears of further violence led traders to lock up their shops, concerned about potential reprisals from military personnel. The tense atmosphere underscored the vulnerability of market traders to such conflicts and the potential for escalation.
In response to the incident, the PararallelFact reported that the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Command has taken action. The spokesperson for the FCT Police Command, SP Josephine Adeh, confirmed that the Commissioner of Police, Benett Igweh, has deployed officers from the FCT Intelligence Response Team to Banex Plaza to maintain order and investigate the incident. “The CP has deployed the Intelligence Response Team to the scene,” Adeh stated.
As of now, military authorities have not issued a comment regarding the altercation. The deployment of the police intelligence team aims to de-escalate the situation and prevent further clashes. Market activities at Banex Plaza have been significantly disrupted, with traders and shoppers anxiously awaiting resolution.
