Stephen Ukandu, Umuahia
Onitsha Main Market, the largest commercial hub in Anambra State, reopened on Monday after a one-week shutdown ordered by Governor Chukwuma Soludo.
The market was closed after traders complied with a Monday sit-at-home directive allegedly issued by the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), despite repeated warnings by the state government against obeying orders from non-state actors.
Governor Soludo had insisted on the restoration of normalcy and economic activities across the state, warning that continued closure of the market would attract stiffer sanctions.
In compliance with the directive to reopen, traders returned to the market early on Monday, with shops opening as early as 8:45 a.m.
Commercial activities gradually resumed across major business corridors, including Egerton Road, Ose Foodstuff Market, Young Park, Emeka Offor Plaza, Sokoto Road, Lagos Line, and Marine areas.
Customers were also seen patronising various stalls, signalling a return to normal business operations.
Security presence was visibly heightened within the market and its environs to ensure the safety of traders and shoppers.
Meanwhile, the Anambra State Police Command issued a stern warning to residents and business owners, urging them to disregard threats and misinformation spread by non-state actors, particularly on social media.
“The Police Command has observed a deliberate pattern of coordinated social media posts by some non-state actors aimed at spreading fear, misinformation, and bigotry,” the command said in a statement.
Although IPOB was reported to have called for a lockdown across the South-East in solidarity with the traders, the group’s lawyer, Ifeanyi Ejiofor, dismissed the claim as false, reiterating that IPOB had long renounced sit-at-home orders.
He urged members of the public to ignore such directives and go about their lawful activities.
The police further assured residents of intensified patrols, intelligence-led surveillance, and robust security operations to protect lives and property, as the state government reaffirmed its commitment to safeguarding traders and ensuring uninterrupted commercial activities.
