Gunshots were heard on Tuesday in Onitsha, Anambra State, as security operatives clashed with traders protesting the closure of the Onitsha Main Market by Governor Chukwuma Soludo.
The incident occurred when hundreds of youths attempted to force their way into the main market and adjoining markets, defying a government-ordered shutdown.
They were stopped by a joint security team comprising the police, military, paramilitary agencies, Agunaechemba operatives, and other security personnel deployed to maintain law and order.
Governor Soludo had ordered the closure of the market on Monday after traders violated an executive order banning the Monday sit-at-home, a directive imposed since 2021 by the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) in agitation for the release of its leader, Nnamdi Kanu.
Despite the closure, protesters took to the streets of Onitsha on Tuesday, challenging the governor to show the law empowering him to shut down the market, insisting that the action was unlawful and punitive.
Tension escalated as security operatives blocked access points to the market, leading to sporadic gunshots that sent traders and residents scrambling for safety.
However, the Anambra State Police Command said the deployment was strictly in line with government directives.
In a statement signed by the Police Public Relations Officer, Tochukwu Ikenga, the police said security operatives were present at the market to enforce the state government’s closure order and prevent a breakdown of law and order.
Authorities warned that anyone attempting to breach the closure or disrupt public peace would be dealt with according to the law.
