Soldiers of the Nigerian Army have been reportedly brutalizing a shop owner Caleb Onyemaeachi at the Mambilla Barracks, Asokoro, Abuja, who they are unlawfully detaining over Saturday’s clash between some soldiers and traders at Banex plaza in the Federal Capital Territory.
Caleb’s wife, a nursing mother, told newsmen on Tuesday that her husband is being tortured in detention and one of his foot has been broken.
According to her, the army refused to release her husband and continued to brutalize him without any charges.
She said, “My husband is currently being jailed at Mambilla Barracks, Asokoro, and the army authorities did not allow any of his relatives to visit him.
“He called me yesterday that his name was given out to the army, saying he was among those that fought them. He said he told them that he had nothing to do with the situation. He was later asked to come to see them, which he honoured, and since then, they have kept him at Mambilla Barracks in their duty room.
“I just gave birth through surgery and I had to find him through his live location but they didn’t let me see him. They sent me away. Last night he texted me that they tortured him so badly and broke his foot.”
CHECKPOINTCHARLEY has unsuccessfully searched for the law that authorizes the military to arrest and detain a civilian, without charges.
It was gathered that Onyemaechi was invited by the military authorities over the fight on Saturday.
Nigerian Army Corps of Military Police had on Saturday evening reportedly stormed Banex Plaza in Abuja and beat up passersby and security guards.
The assault on civilians was said to be a reprisal for an earlier free-for-all that broke out between four military police personnel and some traders at the popular electronics and telecommunications gadget market earlier on Saturday.
The soldiers’ attacks on civilians and show-of-force by the military police came a few hours after the FCT Commissioner of Police, Bennet Igweh, settled the scuffle between the soldiers and the traders at the police command.
Nonetheless, soldiers of the Nigerian Army came back and sealed the plaza on Monday morning as they sought to arrest some traders, whom they claimed were involved in the showdown with their officers.
One of the identified people was Enomfon Udofia, a businessman trading at the plaza but always went to Onyemaechi’s shop to pick goods.
But Caleb’s wife said her husband is being detained due to the trading relationship between him and Enomfon.
The military authorities have been silent on the matter, and spokesperson for the Nigerian Army, Onyema Nwachukwu, could not be reached for comments.
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