The proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) on Tuesday accused the Anambra State Governor, Charles Soludo, of implementing his threat to seal the shops of some Onitsha Main Market traders who complied with the sit-at-home order.
In a statement by its spokesman, Emma Powerful, IPOB described the governor’s alleged action as authoritarian and reckless.
It would be recalled that Gov. Soludo had threatened to seal the shops after some traders refused to open their shops on Mondays, despite his administration’s ban on compliance with the sit-at-home directive.
The governor had earlier closed the market for a week over the same issue.
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In protest against the governor’s action, IPOB declared a sit-at-home on February 5, 2026.
The group has since then announced the final cancellation of the weekly Monday sit-at-home in the South-East, following a directive by its leader, Nnamdi Kanu.
Condemning the sealing of shops in Onitsha Main Market, IPOB asked Gov. Soludo to immediately reverse the action to avoid economic losses and a potential breakdown of law and order.
According to IPOB, sealing the shops of hardworking traders because they did not open on a particular day is not governance but collective punishment.
“Even under a simple landlord-tenant relationship, a landlord cannot lawfully lock out a tenant for not sleeping in the house on a particular day. Such an act would amount to unlawful eviction.
“How then can a governor, who is merely a trustee of public authority, attempt to seal shops belonging to citizens who have committed no crime?
“IPOB wishes to make it clear that intimidation, threats, and economic punishment will not produce the normalcy Governor Soludo claims to desire.
“Instead, such heavy-handed tactics risk provoking unnecessary tension and deepening mistrust between the government and the people.
“We strongly advise Governor Soludo to immediately reverse this ill-advised action and unseal all affected shops. Leadership is not about issuing threats or demonstrating force against one’s own people.
“Leadership is about patience, persuasion, justice, and respect for the rights and dignity of citizens,” the group said.
IPOB noted that it is particularly disappointing that a governor of Igbo extraction would adopt tactics that mirror the humiliation and economic destruction Igbos have suffered in other parts of Nigeria.
