Governor Charles Chukwuma Soludo has escalated measures to eliminate the persistent Monday sit-at-home order, enforcing a one-week closure of Onitsha Main Market after traders defied directives to open for business.
He described the practice as economic sabotage by criminal elements, insisting it no longer serves the interests of IPOB leader Nnamdi Kanu.
In a meeting with market leaders, line chairmen, and stakeholders at the International Conference Centre in Awka, Soludo mandated full operations every working day, including Mondays, and introduced a mandatory daily attendance register for traders across all markets.
Traders must sign in by 10 a.m., with line leaders responsible for recording attendance and local government chairmen collecting and submitting registers every Monday.
Non-compliance risks include shop sealing, fines, permanent closure, or outright revocation of allocations.
The governor pledged maximum security on Mondays and market regeneration through demolishing illegal structures and plazas to create more space and parking.
He reiterated threats to convert non-compliant sites like Onitsha Main Market into schools if defiance continues.
Some traders, including those from Onitsha Main Market, pledged to comply and resume full activities.
Ebonyi traders in Anambra rejected planned protests, backing Soludo’s push for economic stability and full commercial days.
IPOB condemned the actions, including market shutdowns and revocation threats, accusing the governor of sabotaging their peaceful Biafra struggle. Critics, such as human rights groups and observers, labelled the approach heavy-handed, arguing it overlooks underlying security concerns and causes economic hardship for traders.
As Soludo deploys tight security at strategic markets and extends similar pro-rata attendance enforcement to civil servants starting February, the measures test state authority against separatist influences.
With economic revival on the line, the coming weeks will reveal whether compliance prevails or deeper dialogue is needed to resolve the impasse.
Administrator and Writer
