Soludo closes Onitsha Market for one week over sit-at-home defiance

Anambra State Governor, Professor Chukwuma Soludo, has ordered the closure of Onitsha Main Market for one week after traders ignored the state government’s directive to disregard the Monday sit-at-home order.

The governor issued the directive during an on-site visit to the market on Monday, accompanied by government officials and aides. He warned that the closure could be extended if traders fail to comply, and noted that security agencies have sealed the market to enforce the order.

Describing the move as the most drastic step yet in the ongoing effort to control economic activities in the South-East on Mondays, Soludo criticized traders who kept their stalls locked despite assurances of enhanced security and appeals to reopen.

“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,” Soludo said.

He added that if the market does not reopen after the one-week shutdown, it could remain closed for up to a month. “You either decide to trade here or go elsewhere. I am very serious about this,” he warned.

On Monday, a joint task force of police, army, and other security agencies secured the market perimeter, marking a tense scene of enforcement.

The closure highlights the ongoing struggle to end the Monday sit-at-home and its impact on economic life in Anambra State. When the market reopens next Monday, attention will focus on whether traders return to their stalls or leave the market empty, potentially shaping the state’s economic rhythm.

Earlier, the state government had directed traders and businesses to resume normal operations on Mondays as part of broader efforts to restore economic stability.

In a related development, the state government announced that starting February 2026, civil servants’ salaries will be paid on a pro-rata basis for attendance on Mondays. State Commissioner for Information, Law Mefor, disclosed that this decision was reached during the end-of-tenure retreat of the Anambra State Executive Council in Awka, which reviewed the administration’s achievements over its four-year tenure and outlined priorities for the next term beginning March 17, 2026.