BREAKING: Governor Soludo Shuts Onitsha Main Market [DETAILS]
Anambra State Governor, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo, has ordered the closure of the Onitsha Main Market for one week over traders’ continued defiance of the state government’s directive to ignore the Monday sit-at-home order.
Soludo gave the directive on Monday during an on-the-spot assessment of the market, accompanied by top government officials and security agencies.
The governor warned that the closure could be extended if traders fail to comply, adding that the market has been sealed by security operatives to enforce the order.
According to Soludo, despite repeated assurances of improved security and appeals to traders to resume business activities, many shops remained shut on Monday. He described the action as deliberate disobedience and economic sabotage.
“The government cannot stand by while a few individuals undermine public safety and disregard official directives meant to restore normalcy. This is plain economic sabotage,” Soludo said.
“We are not going to allow this. The closure is a protective measure for law-abiding citizens.”
He further warned that failure to reopen the market after the one-week shutdown would attract a longer closure of up to one month.
“You either decide to trade here or go elsewhere. I am very serious about this,” the governor added.
Security around the market was beefed up, with a joint task force comprising the police, army, and other security agencies deployed to secure the area.
The shutdown comes amid ongoing efforts by the Anambra State Government to end the Monday sit-at-home in the South-East, which has continued to disrupt economic activities in the state
