Sit-at-home: Soludo shuts 12 more markets as traders block Niger Bridge

…Reopen Onitsha market to avoid escalation of protest, Igbo community tells Soludo

By Vincent Ujumadu, Chimaobi Nwaiwu & Ugochukwu Alaribe

ONITSHA—Traders protesting the temporary closure of the popular Onitsha Main Market, yesterday, blocked the ever-busy Niger Bridge that connects Asaba and other parts of Delta State with Anambra State and other South-East  states.

This came as Anambra State government of those that must open for business on Mondays or face one-month total closure.

This is even as Igbo Community Association, Abuja, has called on Governor Chukwuma Soludo to reopen the Onitsha main market to avoid the escalation of protest by the traders in the market, noting that the people of Onitsha were already taking to the streets in protest and the situation fast escalating.

Yesterday,the aggrieved traders’ action for hours, disrupted vehicular and human movements from Asaba, Delta State, to Anambra State, as travellers stayed in the gridlock that resulted from it for hours.

The gridlock on the ever-busy Niger Bridge also led to some travellers returning to Asaba for fear of possible  attack if the protest turns violent.

However, the traders conducted themselves well while chanting “Soludo show us the law”, saying “we must trade on Mondays,” “We have the right to trade any day we like, government didn’t fund us,” “Soludo, you are infringing on our rights. Stop now,” “Why the selective closure of the market in Onitsha?” among others.

When Vanguard visited Niger Bridge head, the protesting traders said they decided to troop to the Niger Bridge head to occupy it, so the Federal Government would be  informed about the injustice done to them and to remind it that the continued detention of Nnamdi Kanu would make the return to markets on Monday very difficult.

Spokesman of the protesting traders, Mr Sunday Okoli, said as far as Nnamdi Kanu was in detention, trading activities on Mondays will be extremely difficult to achieve.

He said when the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, cancelled the Monday weekly sit-at-home and repeatedly made publications disassociating  itself from the miscreants enforcing it, the traders  in  the state expected governments at the state and local government levels to act by encouraging security agents to provide security in the markets for trades to go back to business on Mondays.

“But they didn’t do that and now that they are used to sitting-at-home on Mondays, the government is trying to force us to go back to markets without providing security for our lives and goods,” he said.

According to them, going back to markets on Mondays now is not in their plans unless air tight security will be provided for them.

“We are ashamed of the Army and the Police that are now being used by the governor to prevent us from going into our markets to trade. We expected them before now to give us security in the markets when the hoodlums were attacking us when we attempted to trade on Mondays, but they were not there for us.”

The traders marched from New Market Road, Onitsha, Venn road to Kirk road then to Niger Street to Niger Bridge Head, where they blocked the bridge.

Soludo abolishes Monday sit-at-home in 12 more markets

The affected markets added to the list include Ochanja Central Market, Bridgehead Market, Ogbaru Main Market, Building Materials Market Ogidi, Agba-Edo Auto Spare Parts Market Nnewi, New Auto and Motorcycle Spare Parts Market Nnewi, Fairly Used Motorcycle Spare Parts Market Nnewi, New Auto Spare Parts Market Nkpor, Nkpor Main Market, Old Mercedes Benz Spare Parts Dealers Market Nkpor, Old Motor Spare Parts Market Obosi, and Electrical Dealers International Market, Obosi.

Reopen Onitsha market to avoid escalation of protest, Igbo Community tells Soludo

President General and Secretary General of Igbo Community Association, Ikenna Ellis-Ezenekwe and Mazi Emmanuel Onah, respectively, in a statement, said the association worried that if the market is not reopened immediately, the protest may lead to a total breakdown of law and order, which may lead to loss of lives and property in the city.

The statement read: “We are worried that if the markets are not reopened immediately, the protest  may lead to a breakdown in security, resulting in injury to innocent citizens and damage to property.

“The association emphasises the importance of respecting democratic principles and the rights of citizens to express themselves freely.

“As a pan-African leader, the governor must understand the need for citizens to make protest statements to power.

“We are calling on Governor Soludo to listen to the voices of his people and work towards a peaceful resolution to the current impasse.

“The voice of the people must be heard and respected. We urge the Governor to reopen markets. The markets are a vital part of the community’s economic and social fabric.”

, and have been shut down, causing hardship to traders and consumers alike. The people want their markets back; they belong to them.

“The people also want to use the markets to make whatever statements they choose, and as a true son of the soil, you must respect this. We want harmonious engagement, not brute force.’’

The group , however, commended Soludo for his efforts to address perceived economic sabotage in the state,stressing that it recognizes the Governor’s commitment to improving the economic well-being of Anambra State and his notable achievements in infrastructure development and policy implementation.

“We acknowledge Your Excellency’s tireless efforts to drive development and progress in Anambra State.

“Your policies and infrastructural overhaul of Anambra State are second to none, and your pace of development outpaces all former governors without doubt.”

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