Hundreds of security personnel drawn from the Nigeria Police Force, the Nigerian Army, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) and the Department of State Services (DSS) were deployed to the sprawling commercial hub, barricading entrances and preventing traders from accessing their shops.
There was palpable tension at the Onitsha Main Market in Anambra State on Tuesday morning as Governor Chukwuma Soludo’s directive shutting down the market for one week took effect, following traders’ continued observance of the Monday sit-at-home.
Hundreds of security personnel drawn from the Nigeria Police Force, the Nigerian Army, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) and the Department of State Services (DSS) were deployed to the sprawling commercial hub, barricading entrances and preventing traders from accessing their shops.
Video clips obtained by SaharaReporters showed heavily armed security operatives positioned at strategic points around the market, turning back traders who attempted to gain entry.
Angry traders were seen openly criticising the governor, accusing him of acting to please the Nigerian government and punishing innocent business owners.
“You cannot tell me when to open my shop or not,” one trader was heard saying in the video. “Some shop owners travelled to Lagos, some even went overseas to buy goods. Why should everybody be punished for travelling to procure goods for their businesses?”
Another trader questioned the effectiveness of the governor’s approach, saying the sit-at-home issue was beyond the control of the state government.
“The issue of Monday sit-at-home is bigger than Governor Soludo,” he said. “Some people now use Mondays to rest from the long week of business. There is no other day people truly rest again. Sit-at-home has even become a blessing in disguise because Sundays are now filled with church activities and family meetings.”
The trader also alleged political undertones behind the enforcement drive.
“The governor and his fellow stooges in the South-East are all in support of the imprisonment of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu because they see him as a threat to their political ambitions,” he added.
SaharaReporters had reported on Monday that Governor Soludo ordered the immediate closure of the iconic market for one week after an unscheduled visit revealed that most traders failed to open for business on Monday, January 26, 2026, in defiance of repeated government directives.
The sit-at-home practice, initially linked to separatist agitations and calls for the release of detained Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, has been officially abolished by the Anambra State Government as part of efforts to restore normalcy and revive economic activities.
During the visit, the governor reportedly expressed displeasure at what he described as “deliberate sabotage of the state’s economy” and warned that any market or business outlet that remains closed on Mondays would be sealed.
“Any market, shop or plaza that refuses to open on Mondays will be shut for one week, and repeated violations will attract stiffer sanctions,” Soludo was quoted as saying.
The state government has maintained that Mondays are now officially normal working days and that all commercial activities must resume without hindrance.
A senior government official said the closure of Onitsha Main Market was intended to send a strong signal.
“This is not about witch-hunting anybody. It is about enforcing the law and ensuring that our economy functions optimally,” the official said. “Anambra cannot continue to lose billions of naira every Monday.”
The government has also warned civil servants, schools and other institutions that non-compliance with Monday resumption directives could attract sanctions, including salary deductions and administrative penalties.
However, many traders at Onitsha Main Market fear the shutdown will worsen their already fragile economic situation.
“We are suffering already,” a female trader lamented. “Closing the market for one week means no income, no food, no school fees. Government should find a better way to address this problem.”
As security operatives maintain a tight grip around the market, uncertainty hangs over Africa’s largest open-air market, while the broader debate over the sit-at-home order, insecurity, and political grievances in the South-East continues to divide opinions.
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