Sit-at- home: Ohanaeze backs Gov Soludo on closure of Onitsha Main Market

Apex Igbo socio-cultural organization, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, has backed Anambra State governor, Professor Chukwuma Soludo, over the closure of Onitsha Main Market for one week.

Ohanaeze said it has become increasingly evident to the Igbo populace that, for over five years now, the unconstitutional Monday sit-at-home directives—instigated by pro-Biafran agitators—have wreaked havoc, culminating in the loss of countless lives and the disintegration of the South-East economy.

The pan-Igbo group stated that credible intelligence available to it indicates a disturbing trend the persistence of sit-at-home compliance, despite various attempts by South-east governors to abolish it.

It blamed the development on what it described as a clandestine cabal within the South-East market leadership.

According to Ohanaeze Ndigbo this cabal appears to be colluding with the violent enforcers of the Monday sit-at-home edicts.

It noted that the allegations suggested that these market leaders are sabotaging the directives of the governors, fully aware that closing markets on Mondays would catalyze widespread economic collapse and disrupt all spheres of social activity in the region.

This was contained in a statement issued on Wednesday by factional Deputy- President-General of Ohanaeze, Mazi Okechukwu Isiguzoro, and Chief Chinyereze Ohia, National Spokesperson.

Noting that Soludo’s “assertive action” is not only commendable, it added that it should also serve as a template for other South-East governors towards ensuring the cessation of Monday sit-at-home observances across the region.

In response to the mass protests that erupted on Tuesday regarding the closure of Onitsha Market, Ohanaeze urged Governor Soludo to summon the leadership of the Onitsha Main Market.

This team according to Ohanaeze Ndigbo, must enter into a binding agreement with the Anambra State Government, pledging to abide by the laws of the land and support good governance within the state.

It noted that should they fail to comply, it is imperative that the governor exercises his executive powers to disband the leadership and appoint a special committee to oversee the management of the market.

Ohanaeze equally urged the South-East Governors Forum to take decisive action by summoning the leadership of major markets in the region and investigate their possible complicity with the proponents of the sit-at-home directives.

“If these market leaders are found innocent, they must be compelled to commit to maintaining market operations from Monday to Saturday.

“Conversely, if they are confirmed to have participated in promoting and implementing the Monday sit-at-home directives over the past five years, immediate disbandment is warranted.

“In light of the ongoing protests by traders against the Anambra state Government’s decision, we implore the Anambra State Government and all relevant security agencies to take immediate steps to safeguard the physical integrity and infrastructure of the Onitsha Main Market.

“Ndigbo must recognize that both external forces and internal detractors could exploit our precarious circumstances. Any further escalation beyond the protests that occurred on January 27, 2026, could jeopardize the physical integrity of the Onitsha Main Market, resulting in catastrophic loss not only to Ndigbo but to Nigeria as a whole.

“Historically, the Onitsha Main Market predates the formation of Nigeria, representing a legacy that has attracted substantial investments from the colonial era through to the contemporary Anambra State Government.The market stands as a symbol of pride for the East of the Niger, for Ndigbo, and for Nigeria as a whole,” the statement said.

Ohanaeze Ndigbo reiterated that every effort must be made, lawfully and legally, by the Anambra Government and all relevant security agencies, to preserve and protect Onitsha Main Market.

Sit-at- home: Ohanaeze backs Gov Soludo on closure of Onitsha Main Market