Soludo Closes Onitsha Main Market Over Adherence To Monday Sit-At-Home

Anambra State Governor, Charles Soludo has ordered the shutdown of the Onitsha main market for one week after traders continued to observe the Monday sit-at-home.

The order was given on Monday during an unplanned visit to the market, where the governor found that many shops were closed.

Soludo warned that the closure would be extended to one month if traders fail to fully reopen the market by next Monday.

“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,” he said.

The governor made it clear that anyone who wants to do business in Anambra must follow government directives.

Soludo restated that markets in the state are expected to operate 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,” he said.

This decision comes just days after Anambra Government announced plans to deduct the salaries of civil servants who fail to report to work on Mondays, as part of efforts to stop the sit-at-home practice across the state.

The government has maintained that current security conditions no longer justify shutting down offices and businesses on Mondays.

It warned that workers who stay away from work without approval will face penalties.

The government said these actions are meant to revive economic activities and restore normal daily life in the state.

The sit-at-home in the South-East began in 2021 following a directive by the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) to protest the arrest and detention of its leader, Nnamdi Kanu.