Open Onitsha Main Market or Face Demolition, Soludo warns 

Open Onitsha Main Market or Face Demolition, Soludo warns

The Anambra State government has issued a staggering ultimatum to the traders of Onitsha Main Market, threatening to demolish the entire structure if business does not resume immediately.

This drastic move follows a series of prolonged closures that have paralyzed the region’s commercial heartbeat. Officials view the “sit-at-home” actions as an unacceptable defiance of state authority that requires a definitive response.

The administration’s stance was captured in a blunt, viral warning “If traders in Onitsha Main Market won’t open their shops, I’ll bring in bulldozers to pull it down.” This “nuclear option” signals a shift from diplomatic persuasion to a scorched-earth policy. The government is now prioritizing the restoration of order over the preservation of the market’s physical infrastructure.

Economically, the stakes couldn’t be higher for West Africa’s largest trading hub. The persistent closures have gutted Internally Generated Revenue (IGR), stalling critical state projects and disrupting regional supply chains.

Authorities argue that a non-functional market is a dead asset that the state can no longer afford to protect or maintain while the economy suffers.

Security remains a primary justification for the proposed demolition. Officials claim that a deserted market provides a sanctuary for criminal elements and serves as a monument to lawlessness.

By threatening to level the site, the government aims to reassert its presence, proving that no strike or protest will be allowed to obstruct the public’s right to commerce.

Traders and rights groups, however, have reacted with intense alarm to the threat. Many business owners feel trapped, fearing violence from enforcers if they open, yet facing total financial ruin from the state if they do not. Critics argue that using bulldozers to solve a security and political crisis is a disproportionate measure that punishes the victims of the instability.

As the deadline looms, heavy machinery has reportedly been sighted on the outskirts of the city, heightening the sense of dread. The physical future of Onitsha’s iconic trading center now hinges on whether the gates swing open by dawn.

All eyes are on the market to see if this is a high-stakes bluff or the beginning of a radical demolition.