Traders at the Onitsha Main Market in Anambra State reopened their shops on Monday after a week-long closure, following firm directives from Governor Chukwuma Soludo.
The resumption of commercial activities came amid heightened security presence and warnings by the state government against obeying sit-at-home orders issued by non-state actors.
Governor Soludo had earlier ordered the temporary closure of the market after reports emerged that some traders were complying with a Monday sit-at-home call linked to the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB). He warned that failure to reopen the market could attract stiffer sanctions.
A visit to the market by journalists showed that traders began returning as early as 8:45 a.m., opening shops and arranging goods across major sections of the market, including Egerton Road, Ose Foodstuff Market, Young Park, Emeka Offor Plaza, Sokoto Road, Lagos Line, and Marine area. Customers were also seen patronising several shops.
Channels Television reported that the reopening reflected compliance with the governor’s directive to disregard sit-at-home calls not sanctioned by the state.
Earlier, IPOB had announced a lockdown across the South-East in solidarity with the Onitsha traders, urging traders, transporters, banks, schools, and civil servants to observe the action peacefully. However, the group’s lawyer, Ifeanyi Ejiofor, dismissed the lockdown announcement as fake, insisting that IPOB had repeatedly disowned sit-at-home orders.
Meanwhile, the Anambra State Police Command issued a strong advisory on Sunday, warning residents against misinformation allegedly spread by non-state actors on social media. The police said such coordinated narratives were designed to create fear, erode public confidence, and disrupt the relative peace in the state.
The command announced intensified intelligence-led patrols and security surveillance to protect lives and property, while urging residents to ignore unverified online content and report suspicious activities through official security channels.
Authorities reassured traders and residents of adequate security as economic activities fully resume across the state.
