Anambra State Governor Chukwuma Soludo has ordered a one-week shutdown of the bustling Onitsha Main Market, citing traders’ persistent adherence to the controversial Monday sit-at-home order.
The bold directive came during an unannounced inspection on Monday, January 26, 2026, when Soludo discovered numerous shops locked and deserted.
He issued a stern warning: failure to fully reopen by next Monday could extend the closure to a full month, underscoring his zero-tolerance stance on the disruptions.
“We are going to cordon this whole place off for the first one week. If we come on Monday and it’s locked, we are going to lock the market for one month,” Soludo said.
He insisted that traders who wish to operate in the state must comply with government directives, restating that markets are expected to open from Monday to Friday.
“If you want to do business, you come; if not, you can go home. Anambra is open to everybody, but if you must trade here, you must abide by the rules,” the governor said.
This latest crackdown follows days after the Anambra government vowed to slash salaries of civil servants skipping work on Mondays, ramping up efforts to dismantle the statewide sit-at-home orders.
Officials argue the security climate no longer warrants shuttered offices and businesses every Monday, with strict sanctions promised for absentees.
The measures aim to reboot economic vitality and restore normalcy across the state.
The sit-at-home began in Nigeria’s South-East in 2021, launched by the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) to demand the release of its leader, Nnamdi Kanu.
On November 20, 2025, a federal high court in Abuja handed Kanu a life sentence.
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