Gov. Charles Soludo of Anambra State has ordered the immediate shut down of the Onitsha Main Market for one week, following refusal of the market leadership to open for business on Monday, except there is cock-sure protection of traders, against government directive that under no circumstances should every public office or place not open for business on Mondays.
Soludo gave the directive overriding sit-at-home put in place by the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra (IPOB) last week Monday during his visit to the market.
Traders in Anambra State have for over four years, been observing Monday sit-at home-directive by the IPOB being enforced by the Eastern Nigeria Network, the armed wing of IPOB, also known as unknown gunmen.
Gov Soludo who directed that no public office, school or market should be shut down on Mondays in compliance to IPOB during his visit to the commercial town of Onitsha, has observed that despite repeated assurances of enhanced security and appeals to reclaim public spaces, several traders at the market chose to keep their stalls locked out of fear of being attacked .
He described the absence of traders in the market as a quiet rebellion, but one that spoke volumes about the lingering climate of apprehension.
“The government cannot stand by while a few individuals willfully undermine public safety and disregard official directives meant to restore normalcy, this is plain economic sabotage.
“We are not going to allow this, if the market does not reopen for business after this one-week shutdown, it will be sealed for a month, and so on and so forth.
“You either decide that you are going to trade here or you go elsewhere. I am very serious about this,” he stated.
At the time of filing this report, a Joint Task Force of Police, Army, and other security personnel have moved in to enforce the governor’s order.
