Traders Protest Over Soludo’s Closure Of Onitsha Main Market [Video]

Traders at the Onitsha Main Market in Anambra State took to the streets on Tuesday to protest the one-week closure of the market ordered by Governor Chukwuma Soludo.

Videos shared widely on social media showed large numbers of traders gathering inside the market area.

Many carried placards, sang protest songs, and voiced support for the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu.

In some of the videos, the traders could be heard chanting slogans such as “Soludo, we no go gree” and “Say no to Monday,” in reference to the sit-at-home order.

Earlier reports had shown that security agencies sealed off the Onitsha Main Market to enforce the governor’s directive.

On Tuesday morning, a heavy security presence was visible around the market, with armoured vehicles and patrol vans blocking major access points.

KanyiDaily recalls that Governor Soludo had ordered the market closed after visiting the area on Monday.

The decision followed the refusal of traders and market leaders to open for business, despite repeated calls by the state government to resume normal trading activities.

The Anambra State Government said the continued Monday sit-at-home is costing the state about ₦8 billion every week, contributing to an estimated ₦19.6 billion loss across the South-East region.

Meanwhile, the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) have criticised the market closure, calling the action harsh and aimed at intimidating traders.

Watch the video below:

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