The Anambra State Government has ordered the temporary closure of the New Auto Spare Parts Association Nnewi Market following reports of low trader turnout linked to the Monday sit-at-home directive associated with the Indigenous People of Biafra.
The directive came barely three weeks after the reopening of Onitsha Main Market, which had earlier been shut under similar circumstances.
The closure of the Nnewi market was announced by the governor’s Special Adviser on Trade and Markets, Chief Evarist Uba, who said the action was taken on the instruction of Governor Charles Soludo. He was accompanied by the Commissioner for Information, Dr Law Mefor, the Special Adviser on Security, AVM Ben Chiobi (Rtd), and the Mayor of Nnewi, Hon. Echezona Anazodo.
According to Uba, the shutdown took effect from midnight on Monday, February 23, 2026, and the market is scheduled to reopen on Monday, March 2, 2026. He cautioned traders against accessing the market during the period of closure to avoid confrontation with security operatives. He also warned that stricter measures could follow if there is no significant compliance when the market reopens.
Reacting to the development, the governor’s Senior Special Assistant, Dr Ejiofor Opara, defended the decision, describing it as part of the administration’s sustained efforts to end the Monday sit-at-home practice and restore normal economic activities across the state.
Opara maintained that the Monday sit-at-home was officially discontinued on April 4, 2022, following consultations and a public rally involving key stakeholders. He argued that recent calls attributed to IPOB leader Mazi Nnamdi Kanu should not justify renewed compliance by traders and residents.
He reiterated the governor’s position that criminal elements have exploited the sit-at-home order to perpetrate violence, kidnapping and other crimes, insisting that the administration remains committed to restoring order in the South-East.
According to Opara, the government’s broader security strategy has included a stakeholder security summit, amnesty initiatives and youth empowerment programmes aimed at reintegrating repentant offenders. He cited the One Youth Two Skills programme, which he said has equipped hundreds of thousands of young people, as well as the Solution Innovation District, an initiative designed to develop technology talent and position Anambra as a leading innovation hub.
The state government insists that reopening markets on Mondays is critical to safeguarding livelihoods, strengthening the economy and protecting lives and property in Anambra.
Get Social, Follow us for more news
