The Anambra State Government, under the leadership of Governor Chukwuma Soludo, carried out a strict enforcement exercise on Monday, February 16, 2026, sealing several shops in Onitsha and its surrounding areas for failing to open in compliance with state directives.
The most significant action took place at the Building Materials Market in Ogidi, where many traders continued to observe the traditional Monday sit-at-home practice despite the government’s recent efforts to dismantle the routine.
Evarist Uba, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Markets, led a monitoring team through major commercial hubs, including markets in Nnewi and Onitsha, to assess compliance and warned that any shops placed under lock and key would remain sealed for a period of two weeks.
While some sections of the trading community faced sanctions, the state government offered high praise for the Electrical Parts Dealers Market in Obosi, reporting a notable shift in behavior.
Uba noted that approximately 80 percent of the shops in the Obosi market were open for business, characterizing the move as an act of courage and patriotism and a testament to the traders’ faith in the administration’s ability to restore peace.
Chike Onunkwo, Chairman of the Electrical Parts Dealers Association, and Jude Nwankwo, President of the International Building Materials Market, both expressed their support for the government’s stance, emphasizing that the enhanced security presence provided by the state has given traders more confidence to resume their operations.
This latest enforcement drive is part of a broader, intensified campaign by Governor Soludo to reclaim the state’s economic vitality after years of weekly disruptions. The monitoring committee, which included high-ranking officials such as the Commissioner for Information, Dr. Law Mefor, and the Special Adviser on Security, AVM Ben Chiobi (rtd), reiterated that the era of Monday closures is officially over.
The governor has previously characterized the enforcement of sit-at-home as a criminal enterprise and warned that the state is now operating in gear four, with the potential for more extreme measures, including the revocation of shop ownership, should defiance persist in the coming weeks.
