Popular Market shut for one week over Traders’ defiance of Governor’s order on sit-at-Home
Popular Market shut for one week over Traders’ defiance of Governor’s order on sit-at-Home
The Anambra State Government has shut down the Onitsha Main Market for one week after traders failed to resume business on Monday, defying Governor Chukwuma Charles Soludo’s directive to ignore the sit-at-home order associated with the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).
The closure was announced amid mounting concern by the state government over the economic consequences of repeated sit-at-home observances across the Southeast, which officials say are eroding revenue and disrupting budget execution.
According to the governor’s media aide, Mazi Ejimofor Opara, the continued shutdown of markets every Monday has inflicted severe losses on both the state and the business community.
He described the practice as “economic sabotage,” arguing that the scale of losses recorded each week poses a serious threat to Anambra’s commercial stability.
Opara confirmed that the market will remain closed for one week but cautioned that the government may impose stricter sanctions if traders continue to ignore official directives in the future.
In a separate statement, the governor’s Press Secretary, Mr Christian Aburime, said the action was taken after market leaders failed to ensure compliance with the government’s order to reopen.
He explained that the temporary shutdown was intended to compel adherence and restore normal commercial activities.
Governor Soludo, reacting to the development, said the state would not tolerate actions capable of undermining public order and economic life.
He warned that the government would act decisively against any individuals or groups obstructing efforts to return the state to normalcy, describing such actions as deliberate economic sabotage.
The governor further cautioned traders that prolonged defiance could result in a longer closure of the market, stressing that businesses unwilling to operate under lawful conditions would have to relocate elsewhere.
Security personnel, including police and military officers, were deployed to enforce the directive, preventing traders from gaining access to the market during the shutdown period.
