Soludo threatens to seal shops of traders observing Mondays sit-at-home

Anambra State Governor, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo, has threatened to seal any shop or plaza closed on Mondays in compliance with the sit-at-home order initially declared by the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).

Governor Soludo issued the warning on October 8th, 2024, during an inspection tour of the Main Market in Onitsha on Monday.

The governor expressed his displeasure over the large number of locked shops and plazas in the area.

He stated that he visited the market, known as the largest in West Africa, to observe the level of commercial activity amid the lingering sit-at-home order.

IPOB, it could be recalled, had declared the sit-at-home in 2021 to protest the extradition its leader, Nnamdi Kanu.

The exercise has continued to disrupt business activities in the South East despite IPOB’s official suspension of the order.

Fear of violent enforcement has caused markets, schools, banks, and other businesses activities to remain closed every Monday.

Soludo said: “I am here to ensure that your shops are open.

“From now on, every Monday, the Main Market must be open for business.

“If you fail to open, your shop will be sealed for one week, and if necessary, for up to one month.

“When you are ready to open, it must be from Monday to Saturday,” the governor declared.

Soludo assured the traders that adequate security measures would be in place to protect them, urging them to resume full commercial activities.

Why sit at home?

Sequel to Nnamdi Kanu’s extradition from Kenya, the Indigenous People of Biafra had ordered a sit-at-home protest on Mondays until Kanu is released.

The protest, which has since become a major pain in the South East, has divided residents in the region and Igbos in the diaspora.

Meanwhile, the rest of Nigeria are watching to see what the exercise would ultimately achieve.

This protest has heavily impacted the South East economy and, indeed, the broader Nigerian economy.

The South-East prides itself as a trading hub.

Unfortunately, traders are subdued to stay at home on Mondays, usually the busiest day of the week and the most productive for some.

This has translated to a trading loss that amounts to something between N700 billion (£1.3 billion) and N3 trillion (£5.55 billion) monthly.

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