Anambra State Governor, Professor Chukwuma Soludo, has ordered a one-week closure of Onitsha Main Market after traders failed to comply with the state’s directive to ignore the Monday sit-at-home order.
The directive was issued on Monday during an inspection of the market by the governor, accompanied by senior aides and government officials. Soludo warned that the shutdown could be extended if traders continue to disregard the order, noting that security agencies have already sealed the market to enforce compliance.
Describing the closure as a necessary measure, Soludo said, “The government cannot stand by while a few individuals willfully undermine public safety and disregard official directives meant to restore normalcy. This is plain economic sabotage. We are not going to allow this. The closure is a protective measure for law-abiding citizens.”
He added a stern warning about the future of the market, saying: “If the market fails to reopen after the one-week shutdown, it will be sealed for one month. You either decide that you are going to trade here or you go elsewhere. I am very serious about this.”
The scene at the market on Monday was marked by tense enforcement, with a joint task force of police, army, and other security agencies securing the perimeter. Soludo described the traders’ repeated absences, despite assurances of enhanced security and appeals to reclaim public spaces, amounted to “a quiet rebellion that nonetheless spoke volumes about the lingering climate of fear.”
However, he emphasized that the government’s intervention is aimed at protecting law-abiding citizens and restoring normal economic activity. The closure highlights the broader struggle to end the Monday sit-at-home in Onitsha.
When the market is scheduled to reopen next Monday, attention will be on the traders—whether they return to their stalls following the state’s show of force, or whether empty aisles will signal continued defiance. The state government had earlier directed traders and businesses to continue normal activities on Mondays as part of efforts to restore economic stability and end disruptions caused by recurring sit-at-home observances.