By Chuks Collins, Awka
Anambra State Governor, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo, on Monday ordered the immediate closure of the Onitsha Main Market to enforce compliance with the state government’s directive against the weekly sit-at-home order linked to the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra (IPOB).
Government sources said the market was shut for an initial period of one week following persistent disregard for the governor’s directive prohibiting the controversial Monday closures imposed through threats by non-state actors.
Governor Soludo warned that the market could be sealed indefinitely if traders fail to comply fully with the directive at the expiration of the one-week shutdown. He stressed that further defiance could attract a longer closure lasting one month or more.
The decision follows years of continued observance of the sit-at-home order by market operators despite repeated warnings from the state government. Market association leaders, according to officials, had continued to heed instructions from faceless groups rather than lawful directives from the state authorities.
The Monday sit-at-home order has, for several years, disrupted economic, commercial and social activities across the South-East, resulting in significant economic losses. The Soludo administration has consistently condemned the practice and urged residents to ignore the order and carry on with their lawful activities without fear.
Governor Soludo said the closure of the Onitsha Main Market was necessary to protect law-abiding citizens, restore normal economic activities and reinforce the authority of the government. He maintained that the state would not tolerate actions that undermine public safety or flout official directives aimed at restoring normalcy.
Following the order, security personnel, including officers of the Nigerian Army and the Nigeria Police Force, were immediately deployed to seal the market and ensure full compliance with the government’s directive.
