Anambra State Governor, Charles Soludo, has ordered the immediate closure of the Onitsha Main Market for one week after traders continued to observe the Indigenous People of Biafra’s (IPOB) sit-at-home directive, despite repeated government assurances on security.
The directive was issued on Monday in Onitsha, shortly after the governor conducted an on-the-spot assessment of the market and found most shops locked during business hours. Governor Soludo described the action of the market leadership and traders as a direct violation of the state government’s order to resume normal economic activities on Mondays.
According to the governor, the persistent shutdown of businesses reflects a deeper struggle over who controls economic life in the South-east, particularly on Mondays.
He described the sit-at-home order as a long-standing, fear-driven mandate imposed by non-state actors, noting that it has crippled commercial activities and entrenched a culture of weekly economic paralysis in the region.
“Despite repeated security assurances and appeals to reclaim public spaces, traders at this iconic market once again chose to keep their shops closed,” Soludo said. “This silence is not accidental; it reflects the lingering atmosphere of fear that must be confronted.”
The governor stressed that the state government would no longer tolerate actions that undermine public safety and defy lawful directives aimed at restoring normalcy. He warned that failure to reopen the market after the one-week shutdown would result in a longer closure.
“If the market does not reopen after one week, it will be shut for one month, and the sanctions will continue to escalate,” he said. “You must decide whether you want to trade here or relocate elsewhere. This government is serious.”
Security enforcement at the market was visibly tight, with a joint task force comprising the police, army, and other security agencies securing the area and preventing access to the premises.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the Anambra State Government has also introduced measures such as pro-rata salary payments to workers as part of broader efforts to dismantle the IPOB-enforced sit-at-home order.
Although incidents of killings linked to IPOB activities have declined across the South-east, fear remains widespread, with many residents still unwilling to open their businesses on Mondays due to concerns about possible attacks.
