Sit-At-Home: Soludo Orders Closure Of Onitsha Main Market, Threatens One-Month Shutdown
BY GLORY UGOBA
IN a decisive move against what it describes as persistent economic sabotage, the Anambra State Government on Monday ordered the immediate closure of the Onitsha Main Market following continued observance of the illegal Monday sit-at-home order.
Governor Chukwuma Charles Soludo issued the directive after repeated warnings to traders, market leaders, and residents to ignore the sit-at-home order, which the State maintains has no legal backing and continues to cripple economic activities across Anambra.
According to government sources, the market will remain shut for one week in the first instance. However, the closure could be extended to one month if traders fail to fully resume operations next Monday—a development that could deal a significant blow to commercial activities and supply chains across the South-East and beyond.
A senior government official who spoke on condition of anonymity said, “This is no longer about fear or compliance under duress; it is about restoring law, order, and economic sanity.”
Onitsha Main Market—widely regarded as Nigeria’s largest commercial hub—serves millions of traders and consumers, with ripple effects on regional and national trade. The government insists that continued adherence to the sit-at-home directive undermines public safety, emboldens criminal actors, and creates the false impression that Anambra is unsafe for business and investment.
Authorities also sounded a strong warning to market unions, transport operators, and individuals accused of enforcing or promoting the sit-at-home order. Anyone found aiding or abetting the practice, the government said, will face legal and regulatory sanctions.
Security agencies have reportedly been placed on high alert to enforce the directive and protect traders willing to open their shops.
Reactions among traders have been mixed. Some welcomed the governor’s firm stance, describing it as long overdue, while others expressed fear and uncertainty, citing past incidents of violence associated with attempts to defy the sit-at-home order.
The State Government, however, assured residents that adequate security measures are being deployed to protect lives and property, urging full cooperation to restore normal economic activities.
As the one-week deadline begins, attention shifts to Onitsha Main Market, where traders’ response next Monday could determine not only the duration of the shutdown but also the immediate economic trajectory of Anambra State.
