Armed soldiers forcibly shut down Abuja's Banex Plaza amid a dispute over a phone sale. Tensions erupted when a soldier demanded a refund for a faulty phone, leading to a scuffle with traders. Soldiers returned with reinforcements, prompting chaos and closure of the plaza.
Armed soldiers forcibly closed down the bustling Banex Plaza in Abuja's Wuse 2 district following a heated altercation between traders and three soldiers over a disputed phone sale. The incident stemmed from a soldier returning a faulty phone to a shop after a month, only for the seller to refuse the return due to the delay.
Angered by the refusal, the soldier enlisted the help of two colleagues to intimidate the seller. When other traders intervened and a scuffle ensued, the soldiers were overpowered and beaten by the traders.
Seeking revenge, the soldiers regrouped and returned to the plaza with reinforcements, prompting chaos and panic among the traders. With over 50 angry soldiers swarming the plaza, they resorted to shutting it down and imposing punishments on anyone found lingering in the vicinity, escalating tensions in the area.
