Governor Soludo has shut Onitsha Main Market for one week over continued Monday Sit-at-Home compliance.
NewsOnline Nigeria reports that in a decisive effort to halt what the Anambra State Government has described as economic sabotage, Governor Chukwuma Soludo has ordered the immediate closure of the Onitsha Main Market.
This Nigeria news platform gathered that the shutdown, which takes effect immediately, will last for one week.
The decision follows the continued compliance of traders with the illegal Monday sit-at-home directive, despite repeated warnings from the state government.
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The directive was announced on Monday after weeks of appeals by the government to traders, market leaders and residents to abandon the sit-at-home order, which officials insist has no legal basis and has continued to cripple economic activities across Anambra State.
Although the closure is initially for one week, the government warned that failure of the market to fully reopen by next Monday would result in an extended shutdown of up to one month, a development that could severely disrupt trade and supply chains across the South-East and other parts of the country.
“This is no longer about fear or compliance under duress. It is about restoring law, order, and economic sanity,” a senior government official said.
Onitsha Main Market is one of the largest commercial hubs in West Africa, serving millions of traders and consumers nationwide.
According to the state government, persistent observance of the sit-at-home order undermines security efforts, emboldens criminal elements, and portrays Anambra as hostile to business and investment.
The government also issued a stern warning to market unions, transport operators and individuals suspected of enforcing or promoting the sit-at-home directive, noting that anyone found aiding or abetting the practice would face legal and regulatory sanctions.
Security agencies have reportedly been placed on alert to ensure compliance with the directive and to protect traders willing to open their shops.
While some traders welcomed the government’s tough stance, describing it as long overdue, others expressed fear and uncertainty, citing lingering security concerns and previous violent incidents linked to defiance of sit-at-home orders.
In response, the Anambra State Government reassured residents that adequate security measures are being deployed to safeguard lives and property, urging traders to cooperate in the interest of collective economic survival.
As the countdown to next Monday begins, attention remains fixed on Onitsha Main Market, where the decision to reopen or remain closed could significantly shape Anambra’s economic outlook in the coming weeks.
Governor Soludo had earlier warned civil servants in the state that refusal to report to work on Mondays would attract sanctions, including non-payment of salaries.
