Banex Plaza Should Remain Closed Till Those Responsible For Attack Are Brought To Justice — Ex-Defence Chief, Irabor

The former Chief of Defense Staff, Lucky Irabor has supported the closure of the Banex plaza in Abuja.

Recall that the Plaza located in the Wuse 2 area of Abuja was shut down after a clash happened on Saturday where traders engaged two soldiers in a fight.

Reacting to the development, Irabor noted that an attack on soldiers means an attack on the state.

He shared his view in an interview with Arise Television.

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.” 

Irabor noted that if not for the policemen and some other private individuals who rescued the soldiers, the situation would have been worse and would have reflected poorly on the nation.

He appreciated the media’s role in the whole incident but emphasised the need to “put context when setting the agenda for discussion.

“The media has created an awareness that in our civics, there are people you must respect. You have to put the context in setting the agenda for this discussion.

“The populace needs to be re-educated to understand the place of national security and the responsibility of each and every one of us in preserving the sanctity of our various establishments that seek to make us live in a very good environment.”

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.