Anambra Govt Seals Over 1,000 Shops in Onitsha Drug Market for Sit-at-Home Compliance

Officials of the Anambra State Government, backed by the state security outfit Operation Udo Ga Achi (code-named Agunechemba), sealed more than 1,000 shops at the popular Bridgehead Drug Market (Ogbogwu) on Monday.

The enforcement action, which began around 2:30 p.m., targeted shops that were closed during business hours, in what authorities described as non-compliance with the directive of Governor Chukwuma Soludo suspending the Monday sit-at-home order across the state.

Government officials, accompanied by members of the security outfit, moved through the market placing red labels marked “Sealed” on affected shops. Shops that remained open for business were not impacted by the exercise.

Traders present during the operation were seen making phone calls to notify shop owners whose stores had been locked and subsequently sealed.

Efforts to reach the Chairman of the Ogbogwu Market, Chukwuleta Ndubuisi, for comment were unsuccessful due to network issues.

However, reacting to the development, the President of the Ogbaru Main Market Traders Association, Ndubuisi Ochiogu, maintained that traders had been complying with the state government’s directive to open for business on Mondays.

According to Ochiogu, a joint monitoring team comprising officials of the state government and the Ogbaru Local Government had earlier visited the market and commended traders for their level of compliance.

“We open our shops every Monday in compliance with Governor Soludo’s order, and more traders have continued to respond positively,” he said.