‘We Stand With Nnamdi Kanu’ -Onitsha Traders Dare Soludo After Market Shutdown

According to a report by PM News Nigeria on Tuesday, Jan. 27, 2026, traders at the Onitsha Main Market in Anambra State staged a defiant display on Tuesday, publicly challenging Governor Chukwuma Soludo following his order for a one-week closure of the market. Video footage circulating on social media captured the traders chanting “We stand with Nnamdi Kanu,” signaling their support for the imprisoned leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).

The demonstration came just a day after security agencies enforced the governor’s directive to shut the market, which had been largely closed in observance of IPOB’s Monday sit-at-home orders. Traders were seen dancing, singing, and holding placards as they gathered in large numbers, appearing undeterred by the heightened security presence.

Governor Soludo had announced the closure on Monday after repeated attempts to get traders to reopen their businesses failed. The governor described the market’s continued inactivity as a deliberate act undermining commerce and public safety.

“The government cannot stand by while a few individuals disrupt public order and disregard directives aimed at restoring normal economic activity. This is plain economic sabotage,” Soludo said during an on-site inspection of the market, accompanied by senior state officials and security personnel. He warned that noncompliance with the one-week closure could result in a more extended shutdown lasting up to a month.

In an effort to enforce the directive, security measures around the market were intensified. A joint task force, comprising the police, the Nigerian Army, and other security agencies, was deployed to strategic locations within and around the market to ensure compliance and prevent unrest. Despite these efforts, many traders remained defiant, keeping their shops closed and joining in the public demonstration.

The standoff reflects ongoing tensions between the state government and traders, particularly over the impact of IPOB-led sit-at-home orders on business activities. According to the government, the persistent Monday closures cost Anambra State billions of naira weekly, while significantly affecting the wider economy of the South-East region.

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