The Onitsha South Local Government Area in Anambra State has sealed over 200 shops at the Bridge Head Market in Onitsha.

This action followed the traders’ failure to comply with the state government’s directive to disregard the Monday sit-at-home order.

Local government authorities conducted a compliance monitoring exercise on Monday. The affected shops, located across six market lines, were found locked and unattended during the operation.

There were no commercial activities in the area on that day. Traders refused to open their shops for business despite the government’s clear directives mandating the resumption of normal trading activities.

The enforcement operation was led by the Chairman of Onitsha South Local Government Area, Emeka Orji, alongside the Council Secretary, Paul Onuachalla. Authorities sealed the entrances to the affected market lines and installed new padlocks to prevent access to the closed shops.

Speaking to journalists on Tuesday, Orji described the traders’ actions as unfortunate and counterproductive. This was especially so at a time when the state government is working to restore normal commercial activities across Anambra State.

He indicated strong signs that the allocations of the affected shops may be revoked and reassigned to other traders. This would occur pending the outcome of a full investigation by the authorities.

He said, “It is sad and unfortunate that while the state government is making concerted efforts to revive economic activities in Anambra State on Mondays, some individuals are bent on sabotaging those efforts.

While merchants in the Bridge Head Market decided to close, other Onitsha marketplaces and stores remained open for business.

We will no longer put up with this kind of behaviour, which amounts to economic sabotage against the government. Until Monday of next week, the impacted stores will stay closed. The shutdown will be prolonged indefinitely if the traders do not cooperate by resuming for business on that day.

Onuachalla, the Council's secretary, also spoke to reporters. According to him, the traders' acts can be considered major felonies, such as economic sabotage and other legal infractions.

Onuachalla further revealed that the impacted traders' shop allocations might be cancelled in accordance with current legislation.

This could be seen as assisting and abetting illegal activity and amounts to economic sabotage against Anambra State. We cannot take such issues lightly as a council.

"We anticipated that the vendors would take note of the Onitsha Main Market's earlier shutdown. But it seems they thought they could ignore the government's order without facing any repercussions. There will be no compromising now that they are subject to the full force of the law.

The allocations for those stores are currently being reviewed. According to the law, the government still has ultimate control over public property, and such distributions may be reversed if doing so serves the public interest," he continued.