Chukwuma Soludo, Governor of Anambra State, ordered the closure of Onitsha Main Market for one week starting January 26, 2026, following persistent Monday sit-at-home practices by traders. The closures, enforced with heavy security presence, were linked to an estimated N8 billion weekly economic loss. Soludo later met with market traders, introducing plans to remodel and restore the market. The sudden shutdown preceded the meeting, raising questions about the timing and rationale. The governor also sealed other shops and markets, suspended teachers absent on Mondays, and threatened similar penalties for students. The sit-at-home practice is tied to the SAtH (Sit-At-Home) order, a movement that began in 2021 and has been associated with NSAs (Non-State Actors). Despite Nnamdi Kanu reportedly ordering its cessation, enforcement continues in varying degrees. Traders say they stay home due to fear, not sympathy, noting that markets like Nkwo-IgboUkwu now open progressively earlier on Mondays. One trader questioned how security could be improving if the governor still imposed shutdowns. The SAtH has drawn criticism for violence and economic disruption, described as self-defeating when carried out by those claiming to act for Igbo interests.
Governor Soludo shut down Onitsha Main Market over sit-at-home closures while acknowledging security has improved, contradicting the need for such a drastic measure. If traders are already returning to business on Mondays and markets are opening earlier, then the enforcement appears reactive rather than responsive. The action risks penalising people adapting to safer conditions, not those resisting them. This undermines the claim that the environment remains too dangerous for normal activity.
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