A military personnel stationed at the popular Banex Plaza in the Wuse 2 area of Abuja, which has been under lock and key for four days over a clash between soldiers and some hoodlums, has allegedly slapped a woman into a coma.
The Guardian reports that soldiers and some hoodlums had engaged in an altercation after the army personnel had a disagreement with a trader in the plaza at the weekend.
However, on Tuesday, Daily Trust reported that soldiers confronted a woman who crossed one of the barricades they set up to keep people off the plaza.
During questioning, one of the soldiers reportedly slapped the woman who immediately collapsed.
The paper reported that the woman was hurriedly rushed into a van which then sped off, adding that it was unclear if she was being taken to a hospital for emergency medical attention.
Meanwhile, traders are frustrated by the closure, which they believe could have been avoided.
The incident began with a dispute over a faulty phone sold by a trader. The customer, accompanied by soldiers, confronted the trader. Instead of seeking a peaceful resolution, the trader allegedly called in thugs who attacked the soldiers. The soldiers were outnumbered and beaten by the group.
Though police intervened initially, soldiers later stormed the plaza, forcing its closure.
Videos circulating online show soldiers chasing civilians and using force.
