- Soludo warned that the shutdown could be extended if traders fail to comply
- the persistent closure of markets on Mondays amounts to deliberate economic disruption
- the state government has reiterated its resolve to restore economic stability
Anambra State Governor, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo, has ordered the immediate closure of the Onitsha Main Market for one week after traders defied the state government’s directive to resume business activities on Mondays.
Eko Hot Blog gathered that the directive was issued on Monday when the governor visited the market alongside top government officials to assess compliance with the ban on the sit-at-home practice.
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He expressed disappointment that despite repeated assurances on security and appeals to traders, many shops remained shut.
Soludo warned that the shutdown could be extended if traders fail to comply, noting that security agencies have been deployed to seal the market and enforce the decision.
According to the governor, the persistent closure of markets on Mondays amounts to deliberate economic disruption and cannot be tolerated.
“The government will not fold its arms while a few individuals sabotage public order and economic stability by ignoring lawful directives,” Soludo said. “This action is meant to protect law-abiding citizens and restore normal economic activities.”
He added that failure to reopen the market after the one-week closure would attract a stiffer sanction, including a possible one-month shutdown.
The governor further stressed that traders must make a clear choice between operating within the law or relocating their businesses elsewhere, insisting that the state would no longer accommodate defiance.
Security presence around the market was visibly heightened on Monday, with a joint task force of police, military and other agencies manning the area to prevent access.
The closure has once again brought to the fore the ongoing tension surrounding the enforcement of normal business activities on Mondays in the South-East, as the Anambra State Government intensifies efforts to dismantle the sit-at-home culture.
Meanwhile, the state government has reiterated its resolve to restore economic stability, having earlier directed all businesses to open on Mondays.
It also announced that from February 2026, civil servants’ salaries would be tied to attendance on Mondays as part of broader measures to end disruptions linked to sit-at-home observances.
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