The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has strongly condemned the massive deployment of security operatives at the Onitsha Main Market, describing the show of force as “barbaric,” “unwarranted” and a violation of basic human rights. The group accused Governor Chukwuma Soludo of sanctioning a heavy operation by the Nigerian Army and police to intimidate traders and disrupt peaceful protests, escalating economic tensions in one of Nigeria’s busiest commercial hubs.
In a Tuesday press statement, IPOB spokesman Emma Powerful said Governor Soludo had effectively transformed the market into a war-like zone with a security presence “as if the state was in a war zone.” The deployment occurred amid market closures enforcing a state government directive to end the Monday sit-at-home practice that traders have continued to observe.
Powerful claimed security forces had gone beyond mere presence, alleging that live ammunition was fired at unarmed traders and protesters exercising their right to demonstrate against what they describe as “draconian sit-at-home enforcement orders.” “This tragic incident is a stark reminder of how Nigerian authorities often initiate cycles of violence only to later falsely attribute them to IPOB and the Eastern Security Network,” he said, urging civil society, human rights organisations, and the international community to hold the governor and security agencies accountable.
He continued, “Governor Soludo, by allowing himself to be manipulated as a tool in the hands of oppressors, has stained his hands with the blood of his own people. This is not governance; it is state-sponsored terrorism designed to undermine the legitimate aspirations of the Biafran people.” IPOB insists it remains committed to peaceful struggle and a negotiated referendum, pointing to the continued detention of its leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, as a core grievance.
The group called on protesters to remain peaceful, law-abiding and resolute, condemning violence while warning that further aggression against civilians could deepen insecurity rather than restore stability.
The security operation followed Governor Soludo’s directive to shut the Onitsha Main Market for one week after traders defied a government appeal to open for business on Monday. Authorities have repeatedly emphasised that continual sit-at-home disruptions cost Anambra State billions of naira weekly, impacting economic activity across the South-East.
Personnel from the Nigeria Police Force, Nigerian Army, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, and other agencies were deployed to barricade market entrances and enforce the governor’s order. Officials insisted the presence was necessary to maintain law and order, urging traders to comply for the sake of public safety and economic stability.
The sit-at-home directive, initially promoted by IPOB supporters in protest of perceived marginalisation and the ongoing detention of Nnamdi Kanu, was officially abolished by the state government as part of an effort to revive normal commerce. However, many traders have continued to observe it, a move authorities call economic sabotage.
Footage circulating on social media captured traders at the market chanting in solidarity with Nnamdi Kanu and openly challenging the governor’s orders, even as uniformed operatives maintained a heavy presence around the closed market.
While the state government frames the security operation as a necessary measure to restore normalcy, noting that markets, schools, and work places must function like regular business days, critics warn that the confrontational approach risks inflaming already fraught tensions in the region.
Traders, many of whom depend on daily commerce for their livelihoods, fear prolonged closures could deepen hardship, especially as the battle over sit-at-home observance continues to polarise community and political interests across Anambra and the wider South-East.
