Governor Chukwuma Soludo of Anambra State has said his administration will shut down Onitsha Market till Monday next week.

Addressing traders at the market on Monday, Soludo said that if by the expiration of the closure, traders failed to open their shops next Monday, in adherence to the Monday sit-at-home order enforced by the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), his administration will shut the market for a month.

The move is part of his effort to end the sit-at-home order, which has crippled economic activity in the state.

He said, "This whole area, we are going to cordone it off in the first instance for just one week. If we come on Monday and it is locked, and no shop is open, we will lock it up for one month.

"Wherever you come from, Anambra is open to everybody. Everybody is welcome to trade in Anambra. If you must trade here, you must abide by the rules, and the rules are that markets are open from Mondays to Saturdays. If you are not prepared to open your shops from Monday to Saturday, then leave Anambra, go elsewhere.

"This market will be shut down for the remainder of this week. It will not be open on Monday through to Friday. It will open again on Monday."

The Anambra State Government earlier issued a directive warning staff that complying with the sit-at-home order would result in the loss of part of their salary.

The directive, contained in a statement signed by Mgbemena Loveline E., Board Secretary of the State Universal Basic Education Board, follows the state executive council retreat held on January 21, 2026, presided over by Governor Prof. Chukwuma Soludo.

“Any staff, both tutorial and non-tutorial, who fails to attend school or office on Monday will either receive 20% of their salary or forfeit it entirely,” the statement read

ASA