- Governor Chukwuma Soludo has warned traders in Onitsha that continued stay-at-home orders following the market ban will lead to government takeover of their shops, vowing to take tougher enforcement measures in 2026.
- Soludo warned that vendors who refuse to open their doors after the ban is implemented will face serious consequences, including long-term government-mandated closures.
Anambra State Governor, Professor Chukwuma Charles Soludo, has issued a stern warning to traders and residents a week after the closure of Onitsha’s main market amid ongoing protests and resistance.
In response to the situation, the governor declared that the era of tolerating stay-at-home orders and market closures was over, warning that the state government would take over shops if traders continued to violate the ban.
“This madness must end. If working from home continues after the ban, I will take over these shops and transform them into offices and outposts of Agụnechemba.” Soludo said.
The governor traced the government’s response to stay-at-home enforcement over the years, explaining that previous approaches failed to deliver results.
“…In 2022 and 2023, we fought. In 2024 and 2025, we pleaded. But in 2026, we will shift into fourth gear and not flinch,” he said.
Soludo warned that vendors who refuse to open their doors after the ban is implemented will face serious consequences, including long-term government-mandated closures.
“Anyone who closes, we will help them close for a week. Starting next week, if they refuse to open by Monday, I will close the market and take over some of them,” the governor added.
The warning comes amid protests by traders and residents against the week-long ban on Onitsha’s main market, a move the state government said was necessary to restore order, security and economic stability to the commercial hub.
