The Anambra State Government has ordered a one-week closure of Onitsha Main Market after traders failed to comply with Governor Chukwuma Charles Soludo’s directive to ignore the Monday sit-at-home order linked to the Indigenous People of Biafra.
The shutdown, announced on Monday, comes amid mounting concerns over the economic consequences of repeated sit-at-home observances in the Southeast.
State authorities warned that continued disruptions could negatively affect revenue generation and hinder budget implementation.
Mazi Ejimofor Opara, a media aide to the governor, condemned the practice as damaging to the state’s economy, saying, “The position of the state government is clear and unambiguous and that is the height of economic sabotage and if you look at the humongous economic loss during each Monday sit at home you will discover that it is a rip off on the economy of the state and that of the business community.”
Opara confirmed that the market would reopen after a week but cautioned that stricter measures could be enforced if traders continued to ignore government directives.
In a separate statement, Governor Soludo’s Press Secretary, Mr. Christian Aburime, explained that the closure resulted from “defiance of the market leadership to open, against government directive,” emphasizing that the move was aimed at restoring normal commercial activity.
Governor Soludo stressed that the state would not tolerate any attempts to undermine public order and economic operations.
He 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.”
He added a stern warning to traders: “You either decide that you are going to trade here or you go elsewhere. I am very serious about this,” noting that the market could face longer closures if non-compliance persists.
Security forces, including police and military personnel, were deployed to enforce the shutdown, turning away traders attempting to enter the market.
While Onitsha Main Market remained closed, other markets in the state, Nkwo Nnewi, Eke Awka, and Ekwulobia, opened at reduced capacity, with traders citing fears of attacks by miscreants as the reason for limited activity.
The repeated sit-at-home observances have sparked broader concerns over their effect on public finances in the Southeast, where state budgets for 2026 total more than N5.7 trillion, relying heavily on internally generated revenue.
Commercial lawyer Declan Ibekwe warned that the ongoing shutdowns on Mondays were harming business confidence and mobility.
“I can’t imagine having a case to attend at a court in Ebonyi State from my base in Abia State on a Monday and being unable to do so because of the fear that there will be no movement,” he said, describing the practice as “the simplest way to kill the economy.”
The state government also announced that starting February 2026, salaries of civil servants in Anambra will be paid on a pro-rata basis to discourage absenteeism on Mondays.
Commissioner for Information, Law Mefor, said, “The thing has to be done. Four years is enough. The economic loss of the sit-at-home runs into trillions since it started.”
IPOB, however, rejected the government’s position, maintaining that the sit-at-home remains a voluntary and peaceful protest. Spokesman Emma Powerful stated, “No governor has the lawful power to compel free citizens to open their businesses or move about against their will.”
He added that penalising residents who observe the shutdown would infringe on their rights and cautioned against enforcement measures.
As the market closure takes effect, traders, officials, and residents remain divided over whether the government’s pressure will restore normal business activity or further entrench resistance to official directives.
