Anambra State Governor, Professor Chukwuma Soludo, on Monday ordered the immediate closure of the Onitsha Main Market for one week after traders once again defied the state government’s directive to ignore the Monday sit-at-home.
The governor issued the order during an unscheduled on-the-spot visit to the market, accompanied by top government officials and security chiefs, after finding the usually bustling commercial hub largely shut.
Warning that the shutdown could be extended, Soludo said security agencies had been directed to seal the market to enforce compliance, stressing that the government would no longer tolerate actions that cripple economic life in the state.
He described the traders’ absence as a form of economic sabotage, noting that repeated assurances of improved security had failed to restore confidence.
“The government cannot stand by while a few individuals willfully undermine public safety and disregard official directives meant to restore normalcy. This is plain economic sabotage,” Soludo said.
“We are not going to allow this. The closure is a protective measure for law-abiding citizens.”
The governor further warned that if traders fail to resume business after the one-week shutdown, the market would be sealed for an entire month.
“You either decide that you are going to trade here or you go elsewhere. I am very serious about this,” he added.
Monday’s enforcement was marked by tension as a joint task force of police, army and other security agencies cordoned off the market and secured its perimeter.
The closure represents the most forceful move yet by the Soludo administration to dismantle the lingering sit-at-home culture in the South-East, which authorities say continues to thrive on fear despite official assurances and security deployments.
As the gates of the Onitsha Main Market remain locked this week, attention will turn to next Monday, when traders are expected to return. Whether the stalls reopen or remain shut may shape not only the future of the market but also the rhythm of economic activity in Anambra State.
The state government had earlier directed businesses and traders to operate normally on Mondays as part of efforts to restore economic stability and end disruptions linked to sit-at-home observances.
In a related move, the government recently announced plans to introduce pro-rata salary payments for civil servants to discourage absenteeism on Mondays.
The Commissioner for Information, Law Mefor, disclosed that from February 2026, workers’ salaries would be tied to attendance on Mondays. He said the decision was taken at the end-of-tenure retreat of the Anambra State Executive Council in Awka, which reviewed the administration’s four-year performance and outlined priorities for the new term beginning March 17, 2026.
Watch video below:
