Anambra State Governor, Professor Chukwuma Soludo, has declared that the enforced Monday sit-at-home order in Nigeria's Southeast region no longer serves the interest of Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) leader Nnamdi Kanu. Instead, the governor asserts it has become a tool for criminal elements determined to sabotage the economic livelihood of the region.
Governor's Direct Address to Market Leaders
Governor Soludo shared this strong opinion during an interactive session with market leaders from across Anambra State at the Light House in Awka on Thursday, January 29. The meeting followed the recent closure of the Onitsha Main Market and addressed the persistent Monday sit-at-home syndrome that has crippled commercial activities throughout the Southeast for several years.
"I decided to oblige this meeting as an interactive session so I can once again listen to you," Governor Soludo told the assembled market leaders. "For four years, we engaged with you. We discussed, pleaded and even held prayer sessions with all the churches in April 2022 to end this. It is now time for more action."
From Political Protest to Criminal Enterprise
The governor emphasized that the current enforcement of the sit-at-home order has fundamentally changed in nature. "The current enforcement of the sit-at-home order has transitioned from a political protest to a criminal enterprise that no longer serves the interest of Nnamdi Kanu," Governor Soludo stated unequivocally.
He further clarified that the ongoing Monday lockdowns are "not linked to Nnamdi Kanu" and expressed particular concern about the geographical inconsistency of the enforcement. "He does not support the sit-at-home. If it doesn't happen in Umuahia, his hometown, why Onitsha and Nnewi?" the governor questioned, highlighting the apparent contradiction in how the measure is applied across different Southeast communities.
Governor's Personal Engagement with Kanu
Governor Soludo referenced his personal history of engagement with the IPOB leader to support his position. "In 2016/2017, I led 13 Igbo stakeholders to see him and afterwards addressed a press conference asking for his release, and he was released afterwards," he recalled. "I also visited him in the Department of State Services custody in March 2022 after I assumed office."
The governor's remarks come against the backdrop of his recent decision to order the closure of the Onitsha Main Market for one week. This action followed traders' failure to comply with the state government's directive to disregard the Monday sit-at-home order, demonstrating the administration's commitment to restoring normal economic activities in the region.
Governor Soludo's statements represent a significant development in the ongoing dialogue about the Southeast's Monday lockdowns, framing the issue not as a political protest but as an economic sabotage operation that requires decisive action to protect the region's commercial vitality.
