Pro-democracy activist and presidential candidate of the African Action Congress, Omoyele Sowore, has strongly criticized the Nigerian Army for the closure of Banex Plaza in the Federal Capital Territory following assaults on soldiers last weekend.
“The Nigerian Army should stop military men who are not on active duties from putting on uniforms,” Sowore stated in a release on Wednesday.
He further alleged, “It is unheard of, even under military rule, that civilian spaces would be shut down in a business that employs thousands over a disagreement between soldiers and civilians.”
Sowore condemned the recent actions of the military, asserting, “Recently, the Nigerian Army levelled Okuama village in Delta State, and now you’re using the might of the military to shut down commercial activities in a matter that is purely a civil matter; military men have abducted journalists and arbitrarily engaged in repression and now they are shutting down markets at will, it is unacceptable.”
He concluded, “These acts of repression must stop immediately!”
The closure of Banex Plaza ensued after a clash between traders and soldiers, with video footage circulating widely depicting civilians overpowering soldiers during the altercation.
The FCT Police Command intervened to restore order, attributing the conflict to a dispute over a faulty phone refund. However, later that evening, Nigerian Army personnel reportedly launched a reprisal attack on the plaza, resulting in further unrest and viral videos depicting soldiers engaging in punitive actions against individuals.