The popular Onitsha Main market in Anambra State has been closed for one week by the state government for obeying the sit-at-home.

The shutdown could extend to one month by next Monday, if the traders and market leaders continue such a practice.

The decisive move is to enforce compliance with the state government’s directive against the controversial Monday sit-at-home order by the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) in 2021.

This was announced yesterday by Governor, Prof.  Chukwuma Soludo in Awka

Two days ago, the government ordered that workers in the state who failed to resume work yesterday would lose 20 per cent of their pay.

As a result, a register has been provided in every ministry for attendance of workers.

The state government had repeatedly warned workers and traders to ignore the sit-at-home order imposed by non-state actors.

This order, has disrupted economic and social activities across the Southeast for years, but the fear of being killed by the non state actors had prevented the residents from following the government’s directive

According to Soludo,”if they don’t open at the expiration of the shut down, the market will be shut down for one month and so on and so forth.

“The closure is a necessary step to protect law-abiding citizens and reinforce the authority of the state, the government cannot stand by while a few individuals willfully undermine public safety and disregard official directives meant to restore normalcy” he said

Security personnel, including the police, and Army, have been deployed to seal the market gates and ensure compliance.