Not directives that traders must resume full business activities on Mondays across Anambra State in a bid to end the five-year sit-at-home order declared by the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), many shops at Nkwo Nnewi Market remained under lock and key on Monday.
Governor Charles Soludo on Monday, February 23, 2026, paid an unscheduled visit to Nnewi markets to assess compliance with his order. During the inspection, he shut down the motorcycle spare parts section of Nkwo Nnewi Market for failing to fully open for business.
The Governor, who had earlier sanctioned traders at Onitsha Main Market over similar non-compliance, directed that the affected section in Nkwo Nnewi remain closed for one week.
He said the measure was necessary to serve as a deterrent to other markets still defying the directive.
A tour of other sections of Nkwo Nnewi Market revealed minimal activity, with only a few traders present while the majority of stalls remained locked.
The same situation was observed at Ogbo Osisi (Building Materials), Nwagbara, the provisions section, and other parts of the market, where normal trading activities were largely absent.
When contacted, the Chairman of the Motorcycle Spare Parts section, Mr Kennedy Oguagu, declined to comment on behalf of the traders.
“Go and report what you see,” he told the reporter.
Efforts to reach the Nnewi North Local Government Chairman, Hon Echezona Anazodo, were unsuccessful, as he neither answered phone calls nor responded to WhatsApp messages.
