Tension gripped Onitsha, the commercial hub of Anambra State, yesterday, following the continued closure of the Onitsha Main Market and its adjoining markets, as traders protested the enforcement of Governor Chukwuma Soludo’s directive, ordering markets to operate on Mondays.
Heavy security presence, comprising soldiers, police officers and operatives of Operation Udo-Ga-Achi (Agunechemba), took over all entry and exit points to the Onitsha Main Market as early as 6:30 a.m., effectively preventing traders from accessing their shops.
The closure affected several adjoining markets, including Marine Market, Biafra Market, Kano Street Market, Sokoto Road Market, William Street Market and Bida Road Market, all of which depend on the Main Market for daily commercial activities.
The market shutdown is part of Governor Soludo’s enforcement measures against the continued observance of Monday sit-at-home in the South-East, which the state government has described as economic sabotage.
However, the move triggered anger among traders who attempted to defy the order and force their way into the market but were stopped by armed security personnel and ordered to vacate the area.
During visits by journalists, groups of traders were seen chanting protest songs, pleading with the governor to lift the ban, while others loitered around the market environment, hoping for a last-minute reversal. After several hours, many traders dispersed and returned home when it became clear that the order would not be lifted.
Some traders accused the governor of acting high-handedly, alleging that the same level of security deployed to enforce the market closure had never been provided to protect traders from attacks by criminal elements enforcing sit-at-home orders in previous years.
A trader, Tobechukwu Ezeh, described the market closure as “executive rascality and recklessness,” alleging that traders and market leaders had suffered kidnappings and killings in 2024 and 2025 for attempting to resume Monday trading without adequate government protection.
According to him, a market leader at the Old Motor Spare Parts Market, Obosi, popularly known as Ngbuka Obosi Market, was abducted last year and has yet to be found, without any meaningful intervention from the state government.
“Security men we are seeing today were never here when traders were being attacked. Now they are everywhere to stop us from entering our markets. If this level of security had been provided on Mondays, we would not be here today,” Ezeh said.
Another trader, a 70-year-old man who identified himself as Eugen, blamed the decline in traders’ influence on successive state administrations, accusing them of imposing market leadership structures that weakened traders’ collective bargaining power.
He lamented that traders lost their voice after the administration of former Governor Chinweoke Mbadinuju, alleging that government interference and internal divisions among traders’ associations made them vulnerable to exploitation and policy imposition.
Meanwhile, the Igbo Community Association, Abuja, has called on Governor Soludo to urgently reopen the Onitsha Main Market to prevent the escalation of protests and a possible breakdown of law and order.
In a statement jointly signed by its President General, Engr. Ikenna Ellis-Ezenekwe, and Secretary General, Mazi Emmanuel Onah, the association expressed concern that protests by traders were already spreading and could spiral into violence if the markets remained closed.
The group warned that continued closure could lead to injuries, loss of lives and destruction of property, stressing the need to respect democratic principles and citizens’ rights to peaceful protest.
“We urge the governor to listen to the voices of the people and work towards a peaceful resolution. The markets are a vital part of the community’s economic and social fabric, and their closure has caused hardship to traders and consumers alike,” the statement said.
While calling for the immediate reopening of the markets, the association also commended Governor Soludo for his efforts to tackle economic sabotage and acknowledged his achievements in infrastructure development and policy implementation across the state.
“We recognise the governor’s commitment to economic development and his notable strides in governance.”
However, the voice of the people must be heard and respected. We want dialogue and harmonious engagement, not brute force,” the group added.
As of press time, security remained tight around the Onitsha markets, with traders staying away amid fears of further confrontation, while calls for dialogue and de-escalation continued to mount.