Anambra State Governor, Chukwuma Soludo, has ordered the immediate shutdown of the Onitsha Main Market and other adjoining markets for one week, in compliance with the government directive against the Sit – at- home order
The traders had defied the government order abolishing the sit -:at – home order forced on the people by the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra IPOB.
The governor announced that if traders failed to open at the expiration of the one-week shutdown, the market would be closed for another week and subsequently for longer periods.
“And let me tell you this: as I’m speaking to you now, when I finish this. This whole main market and all the adjoining …will be locked down for the whole of this week.
“There will be no market anywhere here. Are you hearing me? Each Monday, we’ll come and inspect. If people are not in their respective shops, they will be shut down again,” Soludo said while addressing traders at the market on Monday.
“If you like it, I don’t mind shutting down Main Market for the remainder of this year. If you don’t like it, go elsewhere and trade, but if you’re here, we’re not going to allow this.
“It’s plain economic sabotage, and also we suspect whoever closes their shop to have some criminal intent,” he added.
Soludo pointed out that the closure was a necessary step to send the appropriate signals, protect law-abiding citizens and reinforce the authority of the state.
“I’m just from Akwa; everywhere is open. Government offices are open. Markets are open, and people are going about their businesses. Then you’ll come down to Main Market, the once-reputed market as the largest market in West Africa.
“Anyone who has not opened, I mean, for Main market, of all markets, to be shut down. I know that people have done this sit-at-home on Mondays for quite some time now, and as they say, ‘an abomination that lasts a year becomes culture’.
“No! This can no longer go on in Anambra. Are you hearing me? And I will tell you this: you either decide that you want to trade here or you can go elsewhere. Are you hearing me?
“This main market, if you don’t want it open, I will come and take a bulldozer and level it. Are you hearing me? And I’m very, very serious about it. I’m not joking.
“Going forward, any shop that is not open will be locked for one week,” the governor added.
The sit – at -home order has been in place in the South East zone – comprising Anambra,Abia,Ebonyi,Enugu and Imo for about four years despite condemnations and the states’government effort to terminate it .Economic and social activities across the zone have been severely impacted by the order which has significantly boosted insecurity in the zone.
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