Security agencies have barricaded Onitsha Main Market to enforce a one-week closure ordered by Anambra State Governor Chukwuma Soludo. The closure follows traders’ defiance of the government’s Monday sit-at-home directive, which aimed to restore normal economic activity in the state.
On Tuesday morning, hundreds of security personnel, including police, army, and joint task forces, were deployed to strategic locations across the market. Armoured Personnel Carriers and Hilux vans were used to block entrances, preventing traders and customers from entering the market.
Governor Soludo, who inspected the market on Monday, warned that the closure could be extended if traders fail to comply. He described the measure as a necessary response to economic sabotage, noting that the Monday sit-at-home costs Anambra State about N8 billion weekly and the South-East region N19.6 billion.
The security enforcement led to chaotic scenes, with traders loitering and some confrontations reported as personnel maintained order. Barricades were placed around the market perimeter to ensure strict compliance with the governor’s directive.
The closure also counters a directive from the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), which urged traders to defy the government order. Soludo emphasized that the measure is protective, aimed at law-abiding citizens, and warned that non-compliance could result in a longer shutdown of up to one month.