Soludo Closes Onitsha Main Market Over Monday Sit-at-Home

Anambra State governor, Professor Chukwuma Soludo, has ordered the closure of the Onitsha Main Market for one week after traders failed to comply with the state government’s directive to ignore the Monday sit-at-home order being declared by the oulawed IPOB.

The governor gave the directive on Monday during an on-site visit to the market, accompanied by some of his aides and other government officials. He warned that the closure could be extended if traders continue to flout the order, adding that security agencies have sealed the market to enforce compliance.

Soludo described the development as the latest—and perhaps most drastic—salvo in a protracted struggle over control of the South-East’s economic life.

Despite repeated assurances of enhanced security and appeals for traders to reclaim public spaces, many traders at the iconic market once again kept their stalls locked, a move the governor said amounted to “a quiet rebellion that nonetheless spoke volumes about the lingering climate of fear.”

“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. We are not going to allow this. The closure is a protective measure for law-abiding citizens,” Soludo said.

He issued a stern warning that if the market fails to reopen after the one-week shutdown, it would be sealed for one month. “You either decide that you are going to trade here or you go elsewhere. I am very serious about this,” the governor added.

The scene at the market on Monday was marked by tense enforcement, as a joint task force comprising police, army, and other security agencies secured the perimeter.

LEADERSHIP reportz that on Saturday, the Anambra State Government would begin pro-rata salary payments for workers across the state as part of efforts to end the Monday sit-at-home.

The state Commissioner for Information, Dr Law Mefor, disclosed this to journalists in Awka, noting that, effective February 2026, civil servants’ salaries would be paid based on attendance on Mondays.

Mefor said the decision was reached during the end-of-tenure retreat of the Anambra State Executive Council held in Awka, which reviewed the administration’s activities over its concluding four-year tenure and outlined priorities for the new term beginning on March 17, 2026.