Security agencies on Tuesday cordoned off the Onitsha Main Market in Anambra State to implement a one-week shutdown ordered by Governor Chukwuma Soludo, following traders’ defiance of the state’s Monday sit-at-home directive.
A heavy security presence—comprising hundreds of personnel, Armoured Personnel Carriers (APCs), and Hilux patrol vans—was deployed to major entry routes, effectively sealing the market, one of the largest commercial centres in Nigeria. Movement into the area was blocked as officers took positions around the perimeter.
Governor Soludo had announced the closure after an on-the-spot inspection of the market on Monday, expressing frustration that traders and market leaders ignored repeated appeals by the government to suspend activities in observance of the sit-at-home order.
He said the decision was taken to protect public safety and prevent what he described as deliberate actions harming the state’s economy.
According to the governor, the continued disregard for official directives amounted to “economic sabotage,” stressing that the government would not tolerate actions capable of worsening insecurity or disrupting efforts to restore stability.
He cautioned that the one-week shutdown could be prolonged—up to a month—if compliance remained an issue.
State officials argued that recurring sit-at-home disruptions have dealt severe blows to economic activities, estimating weekly losses of about ₦8 billion in Anambra State alone, and nearly ₦19.6 billion across the South East.
On Tuesday, the market remained deserted, with shops under lock and key. Some traders who turned up unaware of the enforcement were seen milling around the premises, observing developments from a distance. Joint security teams, including operatives of the Nigeria Police Force, the Nigerian Army, and other agencies, maintained strict surveillance to ensure the order was fully enforced.
Tension occasionally flared within the market environment as security operatives moved around, prompting some traders to flee in different directions and resulting in minor confrontations.
The situation was further complicated by a counter-directive from the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), which called on traders and residents to ignore the closure and resume business. IPOB criticised the governor’s action, describing it as unacceptable, a stance that heightened tensions surrounding the shutdown.
Also Read: APC Denies Plans to Replace Shettima Ahead of 2027 Election
Authorities, however, insisted that the closure would remain in force until full compliance was achieved, reiterating that the measure was intended to safeguard law-abiding citizens and stabilize economic activities in the state.
