Anambra State Governor, Chukwuma Soludo, has directed that the Onitsha Main Market be reopened for full commercial activities on Monday, February 2, 2026.
The decision follows the expiration of a one-week closure imposed by the state government after traders reportedly continued to observe the Monday sit-at-home directive associated with the outlawed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), despite repeated assurances that the order had been lifted.
Governor Soludo issued the reopening directive after conducting an on-the-spot inspection of the market alongside senior government officials and security operatives.
The commercial hub was earlier shut down after the governor observed that traders persisted in staying away from business on Mondays, contrary to government directives and security guarantees. At the time, Soludo warned that the closure could be extended if traders failed to resume normal business operations, adding that security agencies had been deployed to seal the market.
The shutdown triggered protests in parts of Onitsha, with traders taking to major roads to demand the immediate reopening of the market. Videos circulated on social media showed protesters carrying placards and chanting songs as they decried what they described as an attack on their livelihoods.
Confirming the reopening in a statement on Sunday, the Commissioner for Information, Dr Law Mefor, said the one-week closure had officially elapsed and directed traders to return to work.
“This is to inform the general public that the closure of Onitsha Main Market ordered by Mr Governor, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo, lapses this weekend,” the statement read.
“Accordingly, all traders are hereby directed to resume business as usual on Monday, February 2, 2026, as there is no longer any form of sit-at-home on Mondays in Anambra State.”
Mefor urged residents and traders to ignore threats from non-state actors, assuring them that adequate security measures have been put in place across the state.
“Ndị Anambra and residents are assured of adequate security and are encouraged to report any security concerns to 5111,” he stated.
The commissioner also reminded civil servants and teachers that the state’s pro-rata salary policy remains in effect.
“Civil servants and teachers are reminded that the pro-rata salary system remains in force—no work on Monday, no pay,” the statement added.
Parents were equally advised to ensure that their children attend school on Mondays to avoid disciplinary measures.
Meanwhile, a faction of the Indigenous People of Biafra has announced a one-day sit-at-home across the South-East on Monday, February 2, in protest against the temporary closure of the Onitsha Main Market.
In a statement released on Friday, the group’s spokesperson, Emma Powerful, described the action as a solidarity protest against the state government’s decision.
He characterised the governor’s move as oppressive, insisting that the sit-at-home directive was voluntary and aimed at expressing dissatisfaction with the treatment of traders in Onitsha.
The announcement has reportedly heightened tension across Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu, and Imo states, raising concerns over public safety and economic disruption.
However, the Anambra State Police Command has assured residents of its readiness to maintain law and order. The Police Public Relations Officer, Tochukwu Ikenga, stated that previous attacks on security personnel and government facilities were carried out by criminal elements attempting to instil fear among the populace.
According to the police, the state government, working alongside Ndi Anambra, is committed to addressing harmful practices linked to the security situation, including the illegal enforcement of sit-at-home orders and the closure of markets on Mondays.
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