Onitsha market leader backs Soludo’s closure of market despite traders’ protest

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The Chairperson of the Onitsha Main Market in Anambra State, Chijioke Okpalaugo, has endorsed Governor Charles Soludo’s closure of the market over traders’ compliance with the illegal sit-at-home.

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Mr Okpalaugo disclosed this on Tuesday while interacting with reporters in his office in Onitsha, Punch newspaper reported.

PREMIUM TIMES earlier reported that Governor Soludo ordered the market closed for one week when he visited on Monday and observed that shops were shut in compliance with a sit-at-home directive.

The illegal sit-at-home is often enforced by a faction of the outlawed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB). IPOB is seeking the secession of the South-east and some parts of the South-south from Nigeria.

The Anambra State Government on Monday night claimed, without providing details, that the illegal directive costs the state about N8 billion per week.

Mr Soludo’s action triggered a protest by angry traders in the state who, on Tuesday, backed the Monday sit-at-home directive in honour of the IPOB leader, Nnamdi Kanu.

On Wednesday, the protesters blocked the popular River Niger Bridge, which connects Onitsha in Anambra to Asaba, Delta State, in Nigeria’s South-south.

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‘It’s a wise decision’

Mr Okpalaugo, while interacting with reporters, described the governor’s closure of the market as a wise decision intended to restore the market’s economic glory.

“His decision is a wise decision and a welcome development.

“His action came at the right time. The order is for our own good. We are fully in support of his action,” he said.

The chairperson insisted that the decision to abolish the sit-at-home in the market was long overdue, arguing that the governor’s action was in the best interests of traders, customers and other residents of the state.

He stressed that the market had been losing significant revenue due to the sit-at-home.

“We have lost so many fortunes since the creation of the Monday sit-at-home in the South-east region. We are fully in support of the governor’s action against the sit-at-home order,” he added.

We were warned ahead

Mr Okpalaugo claimed that traders in the market were earlier warned by the governor that the market would be closed if they continued to observe the sit-at-home.

“To be honest, we were given the closure notification order on Thursday, 22 January 2026, by the Anambra State Government, that if we failed to open our shops on Monday, it would lead to closure,” he said.

‘Tamper justice with mercy’

Mr Okpalaugo, however, appealed to the governor to tamper justice with mercy and reopen the market for traders.

“Our governor, Chukwuma Soludo, is a listening and progressive-minded governor.

“We strongly believe that, with this appeal, he will consider us and reopen the market for our good because he loves his people,” he said.

READ ALSO: ‘Its within his powers’: Lawmaker backs Soludo’s closure of Onitsha market

“We are sending a letter of appeal to him to reconsider us by reversing his decision.”

The chairperson appealed to all the traders in the market to remain calm, law-abiding and avoid taking laws into their own hands.