Anambra State Governor, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo, has defended the ongoing one-week closure of the Onitsha Main Market, insisting that the action will remain in force until the directive is fully observed.
Speaking to journalists in Awka, the governor questioned why traders freely opened their shops on Mondays during the Christmas and New Year holidays, only to resume compliance with the unofficial sit-at-home practice afterward.
Soludo described the refusal of traders to operate on Mondays as an act of economic sabotage against Anambra State and the wider South East, stressing that the situation was no longer justified given the improved security environment. He noted that over 150 security personnel are stationed within the Onitsha Main Market, while other streets and businesses across the state now operate normally on Mondays.
According to the governor, the selective closure of major markets amounts to a deliberate attempt to disrupt the state’s economic calendar, adding that his administration has taken concrete steps to dismantle the sit-at-home culture.
He cited statements by the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) itself distancing from the lockdowns, as well as government initiatives such as an amnesty programme, the setting up of a special committee, and the creation of a Bureau for Missing Persons. Soludo said the state had also engaged Anambra indigenes in cities such as Lagos and Abuja as part of efforts to restore normal economic activities.
The governor questioned why major markets in Onitsha and Nnewi were being targeted, suggesting that many of those enforcing the shutdowns were not indigenes of the state.
Soludo warned that the continued closures pose serious economic consequences, noting that Anambra is one of Nigeria’s largest sub-national economies and loses significant commercial opportunities each Monday the markets remain shut. He reassured investors that Anambra operates a full five- to six-day business week and is committed to protecting economic growth.
Issuing a firm warning, the governor said the state government’s patience was wearing thin and that it was ready to enforce the law. He disclosed that a new master plan for the Onitsha Main Market has been in place since 2023 and reminded traders that land allocations could be revoked under the Land Use Act if required in the public interest.
Soludo concluded by calling on residents, stakeholders and political actors to place the long-term future and prosperity of Anambra above all else, describing the market closure as a painful but necessary step in what he termed a broader fight for the economic survival of the state.