Heavy Security, Locked Shops: How Politics And Protest Froze Onitsha’s Commercial Heart

Onitsha main market, one of West Africa’s largest markets, is currently shut down, with traders standing by their locked shops amid a heavy security presence.

The market, located in Onitsha, Anambra State, with an estimated daily trade volume of about $8bn would be locked until February 2.

The state governor, Chukwuma Soludo had issued the order on Sunday, following the five-year-long sit-at-home order observed in some sections of the state and across the southeast region.

The traders have kept off business activities in solidarity with the prolonged incarceration of the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu over charges bordering on treason and terrorism.

Soludo described the act as sabotaging the economy and therefore ordered the business to return on Mondays or risk indefinite closure; however, the IPOB challenged this stance, asking traders to go about their trade.

To observe the turnout of the event, THE WHISTLER visited the Onitsha Main market on Tuesday, and observed barricades across the various exits and entrances to the business areas.

Traders disobeyed Soludo’s order; they came out for their daily trade not expecting to see a heavy security presence.

While some traders stood observing the patrolling police vehicles in their number — with one of the officers observed holding a tear gas canister — others sat conversing about what they stood to lose on this day.

Christopher Anene, a phone trader in Emeka Offor, in his 40s, appeared unperturbed while speaking with our correspondent.

He would lose no less than N80,000 in profit on Tuesday, and likely N400,000 this week, if the closure continues as instructed by Soludo.

He told THE WHISTLER, “The reason we are seated here today without engaging in any business is that Governor Soludo is angry. He came yesterday, on Monday and didn’t find many of us.

“But the truth remains that we all know how the country is; we are hoping for things to get better, then the government jails one of our own. Then we decided to use one day out of seven days to show our solidarity.

“It is because of Nnamdi Kanu that we are observing this sit-at-home. So, we are appealing to the government to open the market. Soludo should understand that it is our brother, a human like him who has been jailed.

“He should have a conscience. Today, I know my family and I would go hungry, but I do not care. I would not come to the market on Monday. If Soludo likes, he should extend the closure by a month…,” Anene said to THE WHISTLER.

His position is not far from many other traders, who THE WHISTLER gathered would not be deterred by the market closure to resume trade on Mondays.

This correspondent gathered from Traders who choose to speak off the record that insecurity remains the major reason, traders stay out of business activities on Mondays.

Allegations of Kidnapping and Murder trailed those who violated the sit-at-home order on Mondays in Onitsha.

“Will the governor provide this number of security like he did today if we dare come on Mondays,” one of the Traders asked while conversing with THE WHISTLER.

“We will not dare come on Mondays,” the traders chorused while engaging with our correspondent.

The traders, despite the heavy security presence, have positioned themselves across the locked shops.

The security agencies, led by a senior officer who didn’t want to be identified, were observed addressing the angry traders, whose hopeless and glum faces spoke volumes on the uncertainty of their daily bread this week.

The officer encouraged the traders to return home peacefully to avoid chaos.

The lead officer, although mindful of his approach and demeanour, advised the traders to leave immediately and remain home until Thursday in the hopes of a favourable resolution between the Market authorities and the state government.

While only a few traders were observed leaving the market, others remained, roaming the market areas as of press time.

Also, the surrounding areas appear calm as of press time, and many traders are still seated by their locked shops hoping to open when the unlikely personnel leave.