… IPOB leaders give conflicting orders
Photo…IPOB leader Nnamdi Kanu..
Business activities have resumed at Onitsha Main Market after a one-week government-ordered closure, with traders returning to their stalls but lamenting heavy financial losses recorded during the period.
The shutdown was enforced by the Anambra State Government after reports that sections of the market complied with a Monday sit-at-home directive linked to the outlawed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB). Governor Chukwuma Soludo subsequently ordered a full closure and warned that continued defiance of reopening directives would attract stricter sanctions.
When the gates reopened under tight security presence, traders quickly moved back in, opening shops across major trading sections and adjoining business corridors. However, many said the forced break in operations cost them significant revenue, spoiled perishable goods and disrupted supply chains.
The traders’ unions said the government-ordered closure last week cost members over N100 billion.
Several shop owners reported losing daily turnover running into millions of naira, especially those dealing in foodstuffs and fast-moving consumer goods. Others said customer orders were cancelled and interstate deliveries delayed because of the uncertainty surrounding market operations.
The disruption was compounded by conflicting messages from IPOB-linked voices. A statement credited to the group’s spokesman, Emma Powerful, called for a region-wide sit-at-home in solidarity with Onitsha traders, urging businesses and institutions to shut down.
But in a counter-message, IPOB’s lawyer, Ifeanyi Ejiofor, dismissed the directive as false and misleading, insisting the group had repeatedly distanced itself from such lockdown calls.
The mixed signals created confusion among traders and residents, prompting state authorities to step in and enforce compliance with official reopening orders.
Ahead of the resumption, the Anambra State Police Command warned about coordinated social media messages from non-state actors aimed at spreading fear and discouraging normal activities. Police said such posts were designed to cause panic and weaken public confidence in security.
Security agencies have since increased patrols and surveillance around markets and key commercial routes, assuring traders and customers of protection as economic activities normalise across the state.
