State government expands crackdown on economic sabotage
The Anambra State government has significantly intensified its campaign against the illegal Monday sit-at-home order by extending the mandate for full business resumption to 12 additional major markets.
This directive, issued on Wednesday, January 28, 2026, follows the dramatic one-week closure of the Onitsha Main Market after traders failed to open for business on Monday. Governor Charles Chukwuma Soludo has made it clear that his administration will no longer tolerate the “economic sabotage” that has plagued the South-East region for over four years.
The Special Adviser to the Governor on Trade and Markets, Chief Evarist Uba, signed the circular addressed to the leadership of the Anambra State Markets Amalgamated Traders Association (ASMATA). The directive warns that any market found non-compliant with the new order will face an immediate one-month closure. Furthermore, individual shops that remain locked on Mondays will be sealed by government officials, and occupants may face legal action for aiding the disruption of economic activities.
The government’s decision is fueled by staggering economic data showing that Anambra State loses approximately N8 billion every Monday the markets remain closed. On a broader scale, the South-East region is estimated to lose nearly N20 billion weekly to the sit-at-home practice enforced by non-state actors. Governor Soludo has described the compliance of traders as a “quiet rebellion” that must be broken to restore the state’s status as a commercial hub under the “Renewed Hope” for regional prosperity.
List of newly affected markets across the state
The new order covers a wide range of commercial sectors, from automotive spare parts to electrical materials and general merchandise. By targeting these specific hubs, the government aims to create a “cascading effect” that will force the entire supply chain to return to normal operations on Mondays. The markets included in the latest abolishment directive are located in key commercial districts like Onitsha, Nnewi, and Nkpor.
Among the 12 markets listed in the official circular are the Ochanja Central Market, Bridgehead Market, and the Ogbaru Main Market. In the industrial town of Nnewi, the Agba-Edo Auto Spare Parts Market, the New Auto and Motorcycle Spare Parts Market, and the Fairly Used Motorcycle Spare Parts Market have all been instructed to open. Other affected areas include the Building Materials Market in Ogidi, as well as several markets in Nkpor and Obosi, such as the Electrical Dealers International Market.
To ensure compliance, the state has deployed a joint task force comprising the Police, Army, and other security agencies to conduct random inspections. Governor Soludo has scheduled a crucial meeting with all market leaders on Thursday, January 29, 2026, at the International Convention Centre (ICC) in Awka. This meeting is expected to address the security concerns of traders who claim they are afraid of attacks on the routes leading to the markets.
Traders and IPOB react to the government’s ultimatum
The government’s “fire with fire” approach has met with mixed reactions from the trading community and sharp condemnation from the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB). On Tuesday, hundreds of traders at the Onitsha Main Market staged a protest against the one-week shutdown, carrying placards and chanting solidarity songs for their detained leader, Nnamdi Kanu. Some traders, like Tochi, argued that it is “absolutely wrong” for the governor to close the market without providing adequate security on the roads where they face the most danger.
In a statement, IPOB spokesman Emma Powerful described Soludo’s actions as “disappointing and unacceptable,” accusing the governor of weaponizing the markets against his own people. The group insisted that the sit-at-home remains a peaceful civil disobedience and urged residents not to “surrender their rights to fear.” However, the Anambra State government has stood firm, insisting that the era of non-state actors controlling the economic life of the people is over.
As the Onitsha Main Market remains under lock and key until Saturday, all eyes are on the upcoming Monday, February 2, 2026. This date will serve as a major test of will between the state government and the proponents of the sit-at-home. If the markets fail to open on that day, the threatened one-month closure could signal a prolonged and painful standoff for the heart of West African commerce.
