The Anambra State Governor in Southeastern Nigeria, Chukwuma Charles Soludo, on Monday, ordered the closure of Onitsha Main Market for one week after traders failed to open for business in defiance of government directives.
The decision followed an early-morning inspection of one of the biggest markets in Africa, where most shops remained shut despite repeated assurances by the state government of improved security.
Governor Soludo said the continued observance of the Monday sit-at-home had become a major obstacle to economic recovery and the restoration of normal commercial activity.
“The government cannot stand by while a few individuals willfully undermine public safety and disregard official directives meant to restore normalcy. This is plain economic sabotage.
“We are not going to allow this. The closure is a protective measure for law-abiding citizens,” he said.
The governor said the practice, widely linked to pressure from non-state actors, had severely affected livelihoods in the region.
He warned that the shutdown could be extended beyond one week if compliance did not improve, stressing that the government would not tolerate actions undermining lawful economic activity.
Security was tightened around the market, with joint patrols by the police, and other agencies restricting access during the closure.
The state government also said it had introduced pro-rata salary payments for civil servants, noting that the policy would take effect from February to cushion economic losses arising from the Monday disruptions.