Anambra State Governor, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo, has declared that there will be no reversal of the decision to shut down the Onitsha Main Market, warning traders against actions that could force the government to take drastic measures, including demolition of the market.
Speaking during a press briefing on Wednesday, Soludo described the continued Monday sit-at-home observed by traders as deliberate economic sabotage, insisting that it would no longer be tolerated. He said the government was prepared to revoke shop ownership rights or take full possession of the market if compliance was not achieved.
The governor dismissed claims that insecurity was responsible for the traders’ actions, noting that the market operated throughout the yuletide, including Mondays and even Sundays, without incident. He argued that the renewed shutdown coincided with the resumption of normal business activities, suggesting an intentional attempt to disrupt the state’s economy.
Soludo traced the origin of the sit-at-home order to the 2021 protests following the arrest of IPOB leader, Nnamdi Kanu, revealing that Kanu had personally condemned the action during a prison visit. He added that several interventions, including the establishment of a Justice Peace Committee and an amnesty programme that rehabilitated over 15,000 youths, had been implemented to restore stability.
Emphasising the economic impact, the governor said the closure was hurting traders and the poor more than the government, noting that Anambra could not afford to operate a four-day economy while competing with states running six-day work weeks.
Soludo further alleged that certain politicians were sponsoring the disruption for political gain and vowed that the government would soon expose those responsible. He warned that from the next two weeks, a recertification exercise would begin, and shop owners unwilling to open for business would lose their spaces to compliant traders.
