Hundreds of angry traders on Tuesday protested against the temporary closure of Onitsha Main Market by Governor Charles Soludo of Anambra State.
PREMIUM TIMES earlier reported that Governor Soludo ordered the closure of the market on Monday when he visited and observed that shops were closed for businesses in compliance with a sit-at-home directive.
Governor Soludo, during the visit, threatened that he would extend the closure to one month if traders continued to observe the illegal directive.
The illegal directive is often enforced by a faction of the outlawed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).
The Anambra State Government, on Monday night, claimed without giving details that the illegal directive costs the state about N8 billion weekly.
The protest
In several video clips, the traders were seen marching around the Onitsha Main Market and condemning the closure of the market.
In one of the clips seen by PREMIUM TIMES, many of the traders held placards, and chanting, “Soludo, we no go gree o,” “Say no to Monday,” among others.
Solidarity with Nnamdi Kanu
In another clip, some of the traders were seen chanting solidarity songs and expressing support for the convicted IPOB leader, Nnamdi Kanu.
“Holy, Holy, Holy, Nnamdi Kanu is another saviour,” they sang repeatedly, apparently backing the sit-at-home directive in honour of Mr Kanu.
The traders, in another clip, were seen singing another song in solidarity with the IPOB leader and sit-at-home in his honour.
Meanwhile, heavily armed security personnel were seen in another clip on Tuesday using vehicles, including Armoured Personnel Carriers, to block traders’ access to the market.
Background
IPOB, in August 2021, introduced a sit-at-home every Monday across the South-east to pressure the Nigerian government to release its leader, Mr Kanu, who was standing trial for terrorism at the Federal High Court in Abuja.
The separatist group later suspended the order, in preference for it to be implemented only on days Mr Kanu appeared in court.
But despite its suspension, residents of the five South-east states – Enugu, Ebonyi, Imo, Abia and Anambra — had been observing the directive, mostly out of fear.
IPOB later repeatedly disowned the Monday sit-at-home across the region, saying those who still enforce it were criminals attempting to blackmail the separatist group.
But Simon Ekpa, a controversial Biafra agitator, continued to declare the sit-at-home in the region, despite its suspension by the IPOB faction led by Mr Kanu.
READ ALSO: ‘IPOB sit-at-home costs us N8 billion’: Anambra defends temporary closure of Onitsha market
PREMIUM TIMES reported that Mr Kanu, the IPOB leader in late July 2023, through Aloy Ejimakor, his special counsel, ordered Mr Ekpa to stop issuing sit-at-home directives in the region.
However, Mr Ekpa described the letter as “fake,” and maintained that the illegal action would go on until Mr Kanu spoke to him directly in Finland, a North European country, where he (Ekpa) resides.
Several Igbo leaders such as Governor Peter Mbah of Enugu State and leadership of the Ohanaeze Ndi Igbo had made unsuccessful efforts to stop the sit-at-home.
For instance, Governor Soludo had declared prayer to end the sit-at-home in Anambra and later threatened to sanction those who observed it.
Similarly, Mr Mbah, on assumption of office as governor of Enugu in May 2023, banned sit-at-home directive in the state.
PREMIUM TIMES reports that while the illegal order has almost completely ended in Enugu, Abia and Ebonyi states, it has remained active in Anambra and Imo states.
Mr Kanu was convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment for terrorism in November and Mr Ekpa was sentenced to six years imprisonment for similar crime in Finland.
