(VIDEO) IPOB, APGA trade words as protest, heavy security presence trail closure of Onitsha main mkt

By Okey Maduforo Awka

Despite the insistence by the Indigenous People Of Biafra IPOB that all markets must open for business today including the Onitsha main market, all shops at the market have remained closed in compliance to the orders of Governor Charles Soludo.

Determined to enforce the order there is heavy security presence at the main market while traders sit outside the market chatting and couldn't gain entrance to their shops .

However members of IPOB could not be seen as at the time of this report but there have been panic running without any proof of any forceful move by the body to reopen the market.

This is coming as the APGA Media Warriors led Evangelist Chinedu Obigwe has described those in support of the sit at home order as enemies of Anambra state and the South East in general.

According to Obigwe in a statement, other states such as Imo , Abia , Ebony and Enugu states do not observe the sit at home order with the exception of Anambra state , questioning why Anambra should be singled out for economic strangulation.

 "Those supporting this sit at home that has dealt heavy blow to igbo's economy are the actual enemies of the State and igbo's at large"

"The question begging for answers is why Anambra? "

"This sit at home order is not being obeyed in imo, Ebonyi, Enugu and Abia but some miscreants are pushing for it to continue being obeyed in Anambra. 

Obigwe recalled that Mazi Nnamdi Kanu stated in a widely circulated press release that he is not in support of the Monday's sit at home and advised our people to put an end to it.

 "The people claiming that they are doing it as a civil disobedience measures to protest the detention of Nnamdi Kanu are deceiving themselves"

 "They are using Nnamdi Kanu condition to perpetrate criminality and cripple igbo's economy"

  He dismissed those saying that Governor Soludo should fight for Nnamdi Kanu release from detention instead of fighting to end the Monday's sit at home accusing them of being economical with the truth as Governor Soludo is the first Governor in igbo land to call for the unconditional release of Nnamdi Kanu. 

"When he came in as Anambra Governor, he paid Nnamdi Kanu a visit at DSS detention facility and had frank discussion with him"

"Till date, he is among the vocal voice calling for Nnamdi Kanu release"

"The truth remains that Nnamdi Kanu is 100 percent in support of Governor Soludo efforts to end the Monday sit at home"

"All that is expected from Anambra people and those resident in the State is to support Governor Soludo efforts to end the Monday sit at home because it is for the good of our State" he said.

Police Address Protesting Traders Over Closure Of Onitsha Market As Soludo Dismisses IPOB Threats 

Meanwhile, The Anambra Police Command on Tuesday addressed some traders who were found to be protesting against the closure of the Onitsha main market assuring them of the safety of their shops while the closure lasts .

At Onitsha main market this morning, aside for the heavy security presence in the area, a crowd of traders took to the streets chatting protest songs describing the leader of Indigenous People Of Biafra IPOB Mazi Nnamdi Kanu a great man and pleading for the reopening of the market.

The traders who came in their numbers to the entrance of the market were addressed by the team leaders of the security operatives urging them to go home and open their shops next coming Monday.

The traders were also reassured of the safety of their shops and the goods there in as according to the Anambra Police Command, security have been beefed up to evert miscreants capitalizing on the closure to break into shops at the market.

 Police Public Relations Officer SP Tochukwu Ikenga in a statement said, "In furtherance of this directive, adequate security has been deployed in and around the market, as well as other strategic locations within Onitsha, by the Police in collaboration with other security agencies, to maintain law and order and prevent any breach of public peace"

"Meanwhile, traders seen gathered around the market on a viral video were addressed and sensitised on the need to cooperate fully with government directives in the interest of public safety, security, and economic stability" 

"The Command assures members of the public that the situation in Onitsha and across Anambra State remains calm and under control. Continuous monitoring is ongoing to forestall any breakdown of law and order"he said.

Similarly Governor Charles Soludo has dismissed the threats by IPOB to resist the closure of the market insisting that Onitsha main market is the property of the Anambra state government hence the decision to shut it down.

Soludo further contended that there has been series of meetings and dialogues with market leaders in a bid to peacefully end the sit at home order and the leaders had made several promises to commence business on Monday but failed to keep to them.

According to the Commissioner for Information Dr Law Mefor ; 

"We tried to use dialogue and we had several meetings with the leaders of the market on how to open the market on Monday peacefully and the leaders kept on making promises but failed to keep them and government indeed had to make a firm resolve to demonstrate the decision to end the sit at home order "

Mefor also explained that the Onitsha main market is the property of the Anambra state government adding that if the sit at home order must stop it has to start with the government owned markets.

"Onitsha main market is specifically the property of the Anambra state government and it is good that we start with our own before moving to other places and we are going to see it to ifs logical conclusion" 

"Let those who are shouting or protesting but the market would open next week Monday and there is nothing anyone can do about it "

"We started with the Civil servants and last Monday they turn out in their numbers to come to work and that shows that it needs the political will to achieve this and now that we are done with the Civil servants we go to the traders and you know the position of the Onitsha main market " 

Mefor noted that when the market is reopened by February 2nd, the state government has put a mechanism in place to monitor those who did not open their shops and government as an institution has also provided actions that would be taken in that regard.

Watch the protest in the video below 👇 

https://youtube.com/shorts/SzPX6GG4BO8?si=g-zySCdsckx3wlI_