Anambra State Governor, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo, has ordered the closure of the Onitsha Main Market for one week following traders’ failure to comply with the state government’s directive to ignore the Monday sit-at-home order.
The directive was issued on Monday during an on-the-spot assessment of the market by the governor, accompanied by senior aides and government officials.
Soludo warned that the closure could be extended if traders persist in defying the directive, adding that security agencies had sealed the market to ensure full enforcement.
He described the action as the latest and most decisive step in the state’s prolonged effort to reclaim economic activity in the South-East from disruptions linked to the sit-at-home order.
According to the governor, despite repeated assurances of improved security and appeals to traders to reopen their businesses, many shop owners once again kept their stalls shut.
He said the widespread absence amounted to a silent but telling defiance, reflecting the lingering atmosphere of fear surrounding commercial activity on Mondays.
“The government cannot stand by while a few individuals deliberately undermine public safety and flout official directives designed to restore normalcy. This is outright economic sabotage,” Soludo said.
He added: “We will not allow this. The closure is a protective measure for law-abiding citizens.”
The governor issued a further warning that failure to reopen the market after the one-week shutdown would result in a month-long closure.
“You must decide whether you want to trade here or go elsewhere. I am very serious about this,” he said.
Security presence was visibly heightened at the market on Monday, with a joint task force comprising the police, army and other agencies deployed to secure the area and enforce the order.
As the gates remain locked this week, the situation in Onitsha underscores the broader struggle by the state government to abolish the Monday sit-at-home and restore normal economic routines.
Attention will turn to traders when the market is scheduled to reopen next Monday, amid questions over whether they will return to their stalls or maintain the shutdown in defiance of government directives.
The outcome is expected to shape not only the future of the Onitsha Main Market but also the tempo of economic life across Anambra State on Mondays.
The state government had earlier directed traders and businesses to resume normal activities on Mondays as part of measures to stabilise the economy and end disruptions caused by repeated sit-at-home observances.
It also announced plans to introduce pro-rata salary payments for public servants as a deterrent against absenteeism linked to the sit-at-home order.
Commissioner for Information, Law Mefor, disclosed in Awka that from February 2026, civil servants’ salaries would be tied to attendance on Mondays.
He said the decision was reached during the end-of-tenure retreat of the Anambra State Executive Council, which reviewed the administration’s performance over the past four years and outlined priorities for the new term beginning March 17, 2026.
