By Ovat Abeng
The embattled Onitsha main market has been reopened for trading as order by the Anambra State Governor, Chukwuma Charles Soludo.
It was gathered that the traders commenced reopening of their shops at about 7 am.
Recall that the market was shut down last week Monday by the governor as one of measures to end the prolonged sit-at-home order initiated by the Indigenous People of Biafra IPOB to press home the release of it leader Mazi Nnamdi Kanu.
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The governor noted that the sit-at-home order has affected the economic well-being of the State.
He threatened to revoked any shop that failed to open after the expiration of the one week order, that’s Monday, February 2nd, 2026.
In an interview with our correspondent, Mr. Uzuchukwu Okoye, appealed to the governor to suspend his planned demolition of over 10, 000 shops in the market, lamenting that the action will be worse than the sit-at-home order.
According to him, the market is fully opened for trading and which is why I am here to open my shop by obeying the directive of the governor.
“We are doing this amidst fear of the unknown to support our working governor to promote Anambra State, the market and our culture (trading).
“Our major problem here is fear, fear of the unknown. What we are requesting from the Anambra State Government is to provide us with adequate security.and to order banks around the market to be opening their offices too.
Mr Okoye begged the governor to suspend the demolition planned to enable them prepared for proper relocation.
Another trader, Mrs Nwada Chinyere, who trader at the popular Emeka Ofor plaza of the main market, who also spoke commended the presence of the police, army and other state own security outfits Agunechemba and Udogachi, urging the governor to sustain the security presence.
She lamented that other states in the south east zone has been opening their markets every Monday for the past two years, and why is Anambra case is different?
Chinyere suggested that constant presence of security operatives in all the Onitsha markets remained panacea to the dreaded sit-at-home syndrome.
A human right activist, Comrade Osita Obi, who was also in the market for on-the-spot assessment tour, why commending the governor, assure the traders that the era of sit-at-home order has come to an end.
He equally urged the traders to always elect people with clean and clear vision to lead the market.
The security operatives in the market were lead by the State Police Public Relations Officer, SP Tochukwu Ikenga.
