Anambra Governor Takes Hard Stance on Monday Market Closure
Anambra State Governor, Professor Chukwuma Soludo, has issued a stern rebuke against traders at the Onitsha Main Market, labeling their continued adherence to a Monday sit-at-home order as a deliberate act of economic sabotage. The governor made these declarations during a press briefing in Awka on Wednesday, January 28, 2026, following his decision to enforce a one-week closure of the market.
Security Concerns Dismissed as “Delusional”
Governor Soludo categorically dismissed claims that insecurity was preventing traders from opening their shops on Mondays. He pointed to the uninterrupted operation of markets throughout the recent yuletide season as evidence of safety. “If insecurity was the issue, why were there no problems when traders opened from Monday to Saturday and even on Sundays during the festive season?” Soludo questioned. He described the traders’ reasoning as “delusional,” noting that the sit-at-home order was officially stopped in the state in 2023.
The governor emphasized the contradiction of citizens engaging in public activities like sports and street trading on Mondays while keeping formal market shops shut. “People go for meetings, exercise at stadiums and move around freely on Mondays, yet their target is Onitsha Main Market,” he stated. This pattern, he argued, suggests motives beyond security, akin to how some politicians fuelling division exploit public sentiment for other ends.
Ultimatum and Potential Market Revocation
Governor Soludo presented a firm ultimatum to the trading community. He warned that the state government would not hesitate to revoke shop ownership rights or even take over and redevelop the market if compliance is not achieved. “I want to say clearly that the Monday sit-at-home is deliberate economic sabotage and it will not be allowed to continue,” Soludo asserted. He underscored the state’s commitment to economic normalcy, a priority as urgent as any Tinubu demands urgent economic reforms at the national level.
The market closure order was enacted on Monday, January 26, 2025, after traders once again failed to open for business, a move the governor called a long-standing threat to the region’s economic life. Soludo’s decisive action aims to break a cycle he views as profoundly damaging, a setback for commerce as significant as a Raphinha double stretches a team’s lead on the field. The governor remains resolved to restore full commercial activity, ensuring the market does not become a place where 974 Nigerians face economic hardship due to self-imposed restrictions.
