Anambra State Governor, Professor Chukwuma Soludo, has ordered the closure of the Onitsha Main Market for one week following traders’ continued failure to comply with the state government’s directive to disregard the Monday sit-at-home order.

The directive was issued on Monday during an on-the-spot assessment of the market by the governor, accompanied by top government officials and aides.

Governor Soludo warned that the shutdown could be extended if traders persist in defying the order, adding that security agencies have been deployed to seal the market and enforce compliance.

He described the development as the latest, and most decisive—move in the ongoing effort to reclaim economic activities in the South-East, lamenting that despite repeated assurances of improved security, many traders once again kept their shops closed.

According to the governor, the traders’ absence reflected a lingering atmosphere of fear that continues to undermine public life and economic stability in the state.

“The government cannot stand by while a few individuals deliberately undermine public order and disregard official directives meant to restore normalcy. This is nothing short of economic sabotage,” Soludo said.

“We will not allow it. The closure is a protective measure for law-abiding citizens.”

He further issued a stern warning that failure to reopen the market after the one-week shutdown would attract a stiffer sanction, including a possible one-month closure.

“You must decide whether you want to trade here or go elsewhere. I am very serious about this,” the governor added.

Security presence was heavy at the market on Monday, with a joint task force comprising the police, army and other agencies securing the area as the gates remained locked.

As the shutdown takes effect, the standoff in Onitsha underscores the broader struggle to end the recurring Monday sit-at-home and restore normal economic rhythms in Anambra State.

Attention will now shift to next Monday, when the market is expected to reopen, amid questions over whether traders will heed the government’s warning or maintain their boycott—an outcome that could shape the future of commercial activity in the state.

The Anambra State Government had earlier directed traders and businesses to resume normal operations on Mondays as part of efforts to stabilise the economy and curb disruptions linked to the sit-at-home practice.

Meanwhile, the state has also introduced pro-rata salary payments for civil servants as an additional measure to enforce compliance.

On Saturday, the Commissioner for Information, Law Mefor, disclosed that effective February 2026, workers’ salaries would be calculated based on attendance on Mondays.

Mefor said the decision was taken at the end-of-tenure retreat of the Anambra State Executive Council in Awka, where the administration reviewed its four-year performance and outlined priorities for the new term beginning on March 17, 2026.