Anxiety as Soludo orders reopening of Onitsha Main Market

Tension heightened across Anambra State on Sunday following the decision of Governor Chukwuma Soludo to reopen the Onitsha Main Market, despite threats by the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) to enforce a sit-at-home across the South-East, as the reopening followed a series of engagements between the state government and market leaders.

The Commissioner for Information, Dr Law Mefor, confirmed that the governor’s closure order had expired and directed traders to resume business on Monday, February 2, 2026, stressing that there was no longer any form of sit-at-home on Mondays in Anambra State, assuring residents of adequate security across the state, and urged them to report suspicious activities through the emergency number 5111. He also reiterated that the state’s pro-rata salary policy remains in force, warning that civil servants and teachers who fail to report to work on Mondays would not be paid. Parents were similarly cautioned to ensure their children attend school or face sanctions.

Written by Adeyemi Adewale