Traders at the Onitsha Main Market in Anambra State staged a protest on Tuesday after Governor Chukwuma Soludo ordered the market to be shut for one week. The action followed continued refusal by traders to open their shops on Mondays despite repeated government directives.
The protest broke out as security operatives moved in to enforce the closure. Traders gathered around the market area, waving placards and chanting slogans against the decision, which they say threatens their means of survival.
Videos circulating on social media showed protesters chanting solidarity songs and expressing support for detained Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) leader, Nnamdi Kanu. Some traders were heard shouting, “Soludo, we no go gree o” and “Say no to Monday,” reflecting resistance to the government’s push to end the sit-at-home practice.
Security agencies completely sealed off the market early Tuesday. Armoured Personnel Carriers, Hilux vans and armed personnel were deployed to block major access points, forcing shops to remain shut and stopping all commercial activities.
Governor Soludo ordered the closure on Monday after an on-the-spot inspection revealed that traders and market leaders ignored appeals to resume business. The state government said the weekly Monday sit-at-home costs Anambra about ₦8 billion, contributing to an estimated ₦19.6 billion weekly loss across the South-East.
IPOB has condemned the market shutdown, describing it as punitive and intimidating, and accused the state government of worsening economic hardship through forceful enforcement.
