Commercial activities in key cities of Anambra State, including Onitsha, Nnewi, Obosi, and Ekwulobia, were brought to a standstill on Monday as traders and residents continued to observe the sit-at-home directive. Major markets such as Onitsha Main Market, Ochanja Market, Nkpor Motor Parts Market, Electrical Market, and Mgbuka Market remained largely shut, despite the presence of security personnel.
Reports from across the state indicated that many traders chose to stay away from their shops, fearing potential attacks, even as the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) conducted patrols and urged people to return to business. However, many traders were seen loitering around market premises without opening their shops, citing safety concerns.
A trader at the Onitsha Main Market, Udoka, explained, “We are here to monitor the situation, but the fear of being attacked still lingers. Although the presence of security officers is reassuring, we need consistent security for confidence to return.”
Governor Chukwuma Soludo had issued a stern warning last week, threatening to seal any shop or plaza that remained closed on Mondays. He emphasized that the sit-at-home order was harming the state’s economy, with an estimated loss of N19.6 billion every Monday. Soludo urged traders to open their businesses or face the consequences, including a one-month closure of non-compliant shops.
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Despite the governor’s warning, the sit-at-home order continues to be widely observed, with banks, schools, motor parks, and even petrol stations remaining closed. Residents seem more concerned about potential violence than the government’s directive to resume normal activities.
The sit-at-home mandate, initiated by the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) in 2021, was originally intended as a protest against the Federal Government’s detention of its leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu. Although IPOB later limited the order to days when Kanu appears in court, the fear of attacks by hoodlums has kept the practice alive in many parts of the Southeast.
Governor Soludo’s efforts to break the cycle of inactivity have yet to yield significant results, as the population remains cautious. Many traders and residents continue to call for stronger security measures before they feel safe enough to return to their normal routines.