…over adherence to Monday sit-at-home
Chukwuma Soludo, governor of Anambra, has ordered the closure of the Onitsha main market for one week over traders’ continuous compliance with the Monday sit-at-home.
Soludo gave the directive on Monday during an unscheduled inspection visit to the market, where many shops were found locked.
The governor warned that the closure would be extended to one month if the market fails to reopen fully by next Monday.
“We are going to cordon this whole place off for the first one week. If we come on Monday and it’s locked, we are going to lock the market for one month,” Soludo said.
He insisted that traders who wish to operate in the state must comply with government directives, restating that markets are expected to open from Monday to Friday.
“If you want to do business, you come; if not, you can go home. Anambra is open to everybody, but if you must trade here, you must abide by the rules,” the governor said.
The move comes days after the Anambra government announced plans to deduct the salaries of civil servants who fail to report to work on Mondays as part of efforts to end the sit-at-home observed across the state.
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The government had said the security situation no longer justifies the continued closure of offices and businesses on Mondays, warning that absenteeism would attract sanctions.
Authorities say the latest measures are aimed at restoring economic activities and normalising public life in the state.
The sit-at-home in Nigeria’s south-east officially commenced in 2021. It was initiated by the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) to protest the arrest and detention of Nnamdi Kanu, separatist and leader of the proscribed group.
On November 20, 2025, a federal high court in Abuja sentenced Kanu to life imprisonment.
