Anambra State Governor, Professor Chukwuma Soludo, has ordered the immediate closure of the Onitsha Main Market for an initial period of one week following traders’ continued defiance of the state government’s directive against the Monday sit-at-home order.

The decision comes after traders at the major commercial hub failed to open for business, despite repeated warnings by the state government to ignore the sit-at-home directive imposed by non-state actors.

The sit-at-home order, which has disrupted economic and social activities across the South-East for several years, has been consistently condemned by the Soludo administration, which has urged residents to carry out their lawful activities without fear.

Governor Soludo warned that the closure could be extended if compliance is not achieved, stating that the market would be shut for one month if traders fail to reopen after the one-week period, with further sanctions to follow if defiance persists.

He described the action as necessary to protect law-abiding citizens and reassert the authority of the state, stressing that the government would not tolerate actions that undermine public safety or disregard official efforts to restore normal economic life.

Following the directive, security operatives, including the police and the military, were deployed to seal the market and enforce compliance with the order.