Traders at the Onitsha Main Market on Monday complied with Gov. Chukwuma Soludo’s directive, reopening for business to curb the longstanding Monday sit-at-home order.
Soludo had earlier shut the market during a visit, faulting market leaders for defying government instructions to open for commercial activities.
“The real enemy is the fear-enforced Monday sit-at-home,” Soludo said, describing it as a non-state mandate strangling businesses and normalising weekly shutdowns.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that some stalls remained locked, while other traders loitered or cautiously attended to customers.
Some traders described the atmosphere as tense, citing lingering fear in spite of the official reopening of the market.
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Others said they were present only to observe developments, noting safety concerns as their reason for not trading.
NAN observed that major roads in Onitsha, Ogbaru and Nnewi were largely deserted, with only a few vehicles in sight.
At Ochanga Market, the situation differed, as traders neither opened stalls nor displayed wares for commercial activities.
The reopening excited many traders and residents, who praised Soludo for what they described as a bold intervention.
A trader, Mr Oke Akachukwu, said: “Opening on Mondays gives us more trading days and better chances to increase sales.”
NAN observed heavy security presence across the market, with personnel patrolling as more traders gradually resumed operations.
NAN
