Monday Sit-at-Home: Mixed Compliance as Onitsha Main Market Traders Reopen Selectively

Traders at Onitsha Main Market in Anambra State opened some shops on Monday, showing partial compliance with Governor Chukwuma Soludo’s directive to end the weekly sit-at-home and operate from Monday to Saturday.

The development follows a warning issued last week by the governor, who ordered markets across the state to open throughout the workweek or face sanctions. During an unscheduled visit to the market, Soludo announced a one-week closure of Onitsha Main Market after observing that many traders still stayed away on Mondays despite the government’s position that the sit-at-home practice had been abolished.

Over the weekend, market leaders met with state officials and pledged to comply with the directive. They also asked the government to strengthen security to reassure traders and customers.

On Monday morning, however, activity in the market remained limited. In the Emeka Offor section, some traders opened briefly, attended to a few customers, and then shut their shops again. Others stayed away entirely.

The situation was different at Ochanja Market in Onitsha, where traders did not open at all. The Building Materials Market along the Nkpor/Ogidi axis was also shut, though its gates were left open. Across Onitsha, Awka, Nnewi and other major towns, roads were quiet and movement reduced. Police patrols were visible around markets and key junctions.

The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) had earlier announced a total shutdown of the South-East on Monday, February 2, describing the action as a protest over the continued detention of its leader, Nnamdi Kanu. The group’s position put it at odds with the state government’s efforts to restore routine business activity.

Some traders who showed up at the markets described the atmosphere as tense. A few said they came only to observe the situation rather than trade, citing concerns about safety.

Monday’s outcome highlights the gap between official directives and traders’ assessment of risk, as authorities push for a return to normal business while many market participants remain cautious.