Anxiety in Onitsha as traders Protest market closure

Anxiety reigned in Onitsha, the commercial hub of Anambra State, Wednesday 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-athome 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.