By Deborah Nnamdi
The Anambra State Government has ordered the closure of Onitsha Main Market for one week after traders failed to open for business despite a directive by Governor Chukwuma Charles Soludo to ignore the Monday sit-at-home linked to the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).
The shutdown, announced on Monday, comes amid mounting concerns over the economic toll of recurring sit-at-home observances across the Southeast. State authorities have warned that the continued disruption of commercial activities could undermine revenue generation and jeopardise budget implementation.
A media aide to the governor, Mazi Ejimofor Opara, described the sit-at-home practice as deeply damaging to the state’s economy, calling it “the height of economic sabotage.” He said the scale of losses recorded every Monday amounted to a significant drain on both the state economy and the business community. Opara said the market would reopen after one week but cautioned that tougher measures could follow if traders continued to defy government directives.
In a separate statement, the governor’s Press Secretary, Mr Christian Aburime, said the closure was necessitated by the refusal of market leadership to comply with the government’s order to open for business, noting that the move was aimed at restoring normal commercial activities.
Governor Soludo reiterated that the state would not allow individuals or groups to undermine public order and economic life, describing the defiance as “plain economic sabotage.” He warned traders that the government was prepared to take stronger action, including extending the shutdown, if non-compliance persisted. “You either decide that you are going to trade here or you go elsewhere. I am very serious about this,” the governor said.
Security operatives, including police and military personnel, were deployed to enforce the closure, turning back traders who attempted to access the market. While Onitsha Main Market remained shut, other markets across the state, such as Nkwo Nnewi, Eke Awka and Ekwulobia, reportedly opened at low capacity, with traders citing fear of attacks by miscreants as the reason for limited activity.
The sit-at-home practice has also raised broader fiscal concerns, with states in the Southeast proposing combined budgets exceeding N5.7 trillion for 2026 and depending heavily on increased internally generated revenue. Analysts and stakeholders have warned that persistent Monday shutdowns could weaken states’ ability to meet revenue targets.
A commercial lawyer, Declan Ibekwe, said the continued observance of sit-at-home was eroding business confidence and restricting mobility, describing it as “the simplest way to kill the economy.” He cited difficulties faced by professionals unable to travel across states on Mondays due to fear of attacks and lack of movement.
The Anambra State Government has also announced that, from February 2026, salaries of civil servants will be paid on a pro-rata basis to discourage absenteeism on Mondays. Commissioner for Information, Law Mefor, said workers who fail to report for duty would have their pay adjusted accordingly, adding that the economic losses from the sit-at-home had run into trillions of naira.
IPOB, however, rejected the government’s position, insisting that the sit-at-home remained a voluntary and peaceful protest. The group’s spokesman, Emma Powerful, said no governor had the lawful authority to compel citizens to open their businesses or move against their will, warning that punitive measures amounted to a violation of fundamental rights.
As the closure takes effect, traders, residents and officials remain divided on whether increased state pressure will restore normal business activities or further entrench resistance to government directives.
