A former Chief of Defense Staff, General Lucky Irabor, on Wednesday, May 22, backed the closure of the Banex Plaza in Abuja, saying an attack on soldiers constitutes an attack on the state.
Recall that traders in Banex Plaza engaged two soldiers in a fight on Saturday, May 18.
It was reported that the soldiers visited the plaza to complain about a phone, which resulted in a heated argument and fight with the traders.
After the incident, military personnel arrived in about five Hilux vehicles and reportedly shut down the plaza on Monday, May 20.
Reacting to the development, Irabor described the Banex Plaza incident as a very sad one, adding that on no account will it be right to raise a finger on a uniformed man.
He said, “This applies to any uniformed person for as long as he is an agent of the state. An attack on him is an attack on the state, so any Nigerian of goodwill must condemn such an act.
“For me, I join to support the closure of Banex Plaza for as long as it takes to have anyone responsible for that dastardly act brought to justice. This is because if we fail to do so, we will be calling for anarchy.
“The only men who are sacrificing their lives to ensure our collective good are members of the armed forces, the police, and other security agencies.”
The former defense chief appreciated the media’s role in reporting the whole incident but emphasized the need to “put context when setting the agenda for discussion”.
Speaking on claims that the Army has refused to comment on the situation, he said it is the responsibility of the state to speak on their behalf.
He called for cooperation from the management of Banex Plaza in the ongoing investigation so as to bring the perpetrators of the crime to book.
