Over 1,000 Shops Sealed In Onitsha Over Sit-At-Home Breach
Enforcement Drive Hits Major Onitsha Market
OFFICIALS of the Anambra State Government, supported by the state security outfit Operation Udo Ga Achi, have sealed more than 1,000 shops at the popular Bridgehead Drug Market, also known as Ogbogwu.
The enforcement operation, carried out on Monday afternoon, targeted traders who allegedly failed to comply with the directive of Governor Chukwuma Soludo suspending the Monday sit-at-home order in the state.
Shops Sealed Over Non-Compliance
The exercise reportedly commenced around 2:30 p.m., as officials moved through the market, identifying shops that remained closed during business hours.
Affected shops were marked with red “Sealed” labels, while those open for business were allowed to operate without interference.
The action forms part of ongoing efforts by the state government to restore normal economic activities on Mondays, which had been disrupted by the sit-at-home practice in the South-East region.
Traders React to Development
The development triggered concern among traders, some of whom were seen contacting shop owners whose premises were sealed during the exercise.
Efforts to obtain comments from the leadership of the Ogbogwu Market were unsuccessful, as the market chairman, Chukwuleta Ndubuisi, could not be reached at the time.
Mixed Signals on Compliance
Reacting to the incident, Ndubuisi Ochiogu, President of the Ogbaru Main Market Traders Association, maintained that traders had been complying with the directive to resume full business activities on Mondays.
According to him, earlier visits by monitoring teams from the state government and local authorities had commended traders for their level of compliance.
“We open our shops every Monday in line with the governor’s directive, and more traders are responding positively,” he said.
Ongoing Push to Restore Economic Activities
The enforcement highlights the state government’s determination to end the sit-at-home disruption and revive commercial activities in key economic hubs such as Onitsha.
However, the sealing of shops despite claims of compliance underscores lingering tensions and the challenges of enforcing the directive across all sectors.
Observers say sustained engagement between authorities and traders will be critical in ensuring both compliance and economic stability in the state.
