Governor Chukwuma Soludo of Anambra State has ordered the immediate closure of Onitsha Main Market for one week in response to the ongoing sit-at-home directive observed by traders.
The governor made the announcement on Monday during a visit to the market, criticizing the market leadership for defying government directives and keeping stalls closed.
Soludo described the Monday sit-at-home order as a longstanding challenge imposed by non-state actors, which has disrupted commerce and normalised inactivity in Southeast Nigeria for years.
“Despite repeated government assurances on security and appeals to resume normal business, many traders again kept their stalls shut,” he said, noting that their absence reflects a climate of fear and defiance.
He stressed that the government could not allow a few individuals to undermine public safety or disregard official directives aimed at restoring normalcy.
The governor warned that if the market failed to reopen after the one-week closure, the shutdown would be extended to a month, with further measures applied as necessary. “You either trade here or take your business elsewhere. I am serious about enforcing this,” he added.
Security was visibly heightened at the market, with a joint task force of police, army, and other personnel ensuring compliance and turning away traders who attempted to open their stalls.
The government’s move follows broader efforts to restore economic activity in the state, including the introduction of pro-rata salary payments to workers as part of initiatives to discourage the weekly sit-at-home directive enforced by the Indigenous People of Biafra.