Chukwuma Soludo, governor of Anambra, on Monday visited the Onitsha main market as traders resumed business activities after the one-week closure imposed by the state government to curb compliance with the Monday sit-at-home order in the state.
The Onitsha main market, one of the largest commercial hubs
in West Africa, was shut last week after many traders reportedly defied the
government’s order to open for business on Mondays.
The state government said the closure was necessary to
enforce compliance and restore normal economic activities.
The sit-at-home order began in 2021, in agitation for the
release of Nnamdi Kanu, the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).
On November 20, 2025, a federal high court in Abuja
sentenced Kanu to life imprisonment
Addressing traders during the visit, Soludo said his
administration would no longer tolerate the sit-at-home culture in Anambra,
insisting that Mondays are official working days and must be treated as such.
“I came to Onitsha today, February 2, to know how you people
are faring,” the governor said.
“Those of you that came out today, I greet you. You are the
true people of Anambra. From now on, shops will be open on Mondays.
“This is the first time in five years that I am coming to
the main market on a Monday. The shops here are open, and the market is alive.”
Soludo added that he would personally patronise traders in
the market as a demonstration of confidence and solidarity with the business
community.
“I will come to your shops to buy from you. You know I am
from Otu,” he added.
The Anambra government has in recent weeks intensified its
stance against the sit-at-home order, announcing punitive measures against
individuals and institutions that fail to comply with the directive to resume
normal activities on Mondays.
Last month, the state government warned that salaries of
civil servants who stay away from work on Mondays would be deducted, describing
the sit-at-home practice as illegal and economically destructive.
Reports have shown that the south-east has suffered huge
economic losses due to the sit-at-home crisis.
A recent analysis estimated that the region lost about N7.6
trillion over four years as a result of repeated shutdowns of businesses,
schools, and public institutions.
Soludo has repeatedly said his administration is committed
to restoring law and order, reviving commerce, and protecting Anambra’s
position as a major trading hub in the country.
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