BY CHIKA OKEKE
The prolonged sit-at-home ended on Monday, February 2, as traders at Onitsha Main Market, the commercial city of Anambra State resumed for normal business activities, following a one-week shutdown by Anambra State Government.
This was even as the traders defied warnings from the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) to remain at home on Monday's, a situation that heightened fears in the state.
Recall that the Governor of Anambra State, Prof Chukwuma Soludo had on Monday, January 26, 2026, ordered the immediate closure of Onitsha Main Market for one week over the traders’ continued compliance with IPOB's forced sit-at-home.
Shortly after inspecting the market, the governor noted that the shutdown was a direct response to the failure of the market leadership to open on Mondays against the government’s directive.
He warned that if traders failed to open at the expiration of the one-week shutdown, the market would be closed for another week and subsequently for longer periods.
But an on-the-spot assessment to the market revealed that some traders at Kano Line, Jewelry Line, Optic Line, Cosmetics Line and Fashion Line were seen displaying their wares while waiting patiently for customers.
Shops in other areas like Emeka Offor Plaza, Marine Areas, Sokoto Road, Lagos Street and Ose Food market were opened for normal trading activities compared to other Mondays.
Heavy security personnel were sighted patrolling at the various sections of the market while more traders resumed.
Accessing transportation to the market through the Keke operators was very hectic, just as banks remained under lock and key.
In an interview with newsmen, the Chairman of Onitsha Main Market, Mr Chijioke Okpalaugo dismissed reports that some non-state actors threatened him to lock the market.
He said: "I did not receive any threat from any quarter to lock the market today. As you can see, activities are ongoing, and traders are opening their shops joyfully without any fear of threats.
"A visit to the market showed that many traders were back as early as possible, setting up wares and waiting for customers to patronise them. It is clear that the traders are complying with the government directives to ignore the sit-at-home order."
Leaders of Anambra State Markets Amalgamated Traders Association, (ASMATA) commended the traders for complying with the governor's directive to open their shops on Monday's.
President-General of ASMATA, Chief Humphrey Anuna, and Patron of ASMATA Chief Jude Nwankwo were excited that Governor Soludo directed the reopening of Main Market.
They were optimistic that by next Monday and subsequent Mondays, trading would return to normal, as some shops could not open.
Anuna and Nwankwo lamented that shops were marked for demolition by the state government, wondering how the owners will resolve the problem within the 14 days deadline.
Also, activities at the adjoining markets, such as Obodoukwu, Relief Market and Ochanja kickstarted, though with low turnout of traders and shoppers.
A trader, Kenechukwu Onyekwere (not real name) thanked the state government for ending sit-at-home but expressed fear about the security situation associated with such directive in the past.
He pleaded with Governor Soludo to provide enough security that will tour round the state especially on Monday's to avoid breakdown of law and order, as well as unwarranted killings that were linked to non-compliance with sit-at-home.
IPOB Makes U-turn
Reacting, IPOB’s lawyer, Ifeanyi Ejiofor described the lockdown directive as fake and calculated falsehood, advising the public to ignore it and resume on Monday's.
He added that IPOB had long denounced sit-at-home orders.
The sit-at-home was introduced by IPOB on August 9, 2021, to demand the release of its leader, Nnamdi Kanu, with banks, schools, markets, and motor parks ordered to shutdown on Mondays.
But a faction of IPOB had declared Monday, February 2, as sit-at-home across the Southeast.
The IPOB spokesperson, Emma Powerful in a statement on Friday, hinted that the sit-at-home directive was in protest against the closure of the Onitsha Main Market by Governor Soludo.
He said: "The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), under the resolute and prophetic leadership of our leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, hereby declares a Biafra-wide solidarity strike, a complete lockdown of all economic activities across Igboland and wider Biafran territories, on Monday, 2 February 2026.
"This strike is not enforcement; it is a voluntary, collective expression of outrage and solidarity with the hardworking traders of Onitsha, whose livelihoods are now under direct assault by a governor who has chosen to act as an enforcer for anti-Biafran interests rather than a servant of his people."
Powerful lamented that Soludo’s closure of Onitsha Main Market and his reckless threats to revoke allocations and rebuild it amounted to economic warfare against the people of the Southeast and Southsouth.
"It is designed to break the spirit of peaceful civil disobedience that has highlighted the injustice of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu’s continued detention despite sham proceedings.
"Therefore, all Biafrans – traders, transporters, banks, schools, civil servants, and every sector across Anambra, Abia, Imo, Enugu, Ebonyi, and beyond – to observe this solidarity strike peacefully.
“Remain indoors, refrain from all commercial and public activities, and demonstrate to the world our disciplined resolve.
“This is not about disruption for its own sake; it is about standing with Onitsha traders who are being punished for demanding justice, and reaffirming that no governor can coerce free citizens into abandoning their rights or their solidarity."
It is expected that the state government will recover the N8bn weekly revenue lost during Monday's sit-at-home, though the over 10, 000 shops marked for demolition have ignited fresh fears among the traders.
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