Onitsha Market Closure Counterproductive – HURIWA

By Ayodele Oni

The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA), has reacted to the closure of Onitsha main market, urging the Governor of Anambra State, Prof Chukwuma Soludo, to immediately reopen the market.

HURIWA warned that its continued closure will worsen hardship for traders and residents.

Governor Soludo ordered the closure of the market on Monday for seven days, following refusal of traders to comply with government instruction to stop obeying the sit-at-home directive by the Indigenous People of Biafra, (IPOB) leadership.

The governor had signed an executive order to that effect warning that workers that fail to report of their duty posts will forfeit their salary.

In a statement made available to journalists, signed by its National Coordinator Comrade Emmanuel Onwubiko, HURIWA stated that the one-week closure of the market “will unleash massive hunger, deprivation and unemployment,” noting that the action contradicts the economic recovery objectives of the Soludo administration.

Reacting to the shutdown, the rights group said the measure adopted by the governor was inappropriate and counterproductive.

“Honestly, we do not subscribe to this draconian and very extreme punitive measure of shutting down the market because the action will unleash massive hunger, deprivation and unemployment which Governor Soludo is elected to eradicate.” HURIWA expressed.

The group urged the governor to adopt dialogue rather than coercion, recommending consultations with market leadership and enhanced security assurances.

HURIWA emphasized that, “The best approach to adopt is to hold consultative sessions with the leaderships of the market with a view to convincing them to keep their shops open on Mondays with a firm guarantee of formidable security of lives and property should the traders comply with the directive of the state government.”

The association stressed that fear of violence remains the major reason traders avoid opening on Mondays.

“It is a known fact that armed attackers have killed hundreds of innocent people going about their duties on Monday for failing to observe the sit-at-home order.

“Assuring the people of effective protection of the lives and property is critical towards convincing them to be at work on Mondays.”

The right group appealed directly to the governor to reverse the decision without delay.

“This closure is counterproductive and we earnestly appeal to His Excellency the governor of Anambra state to rescind the decision and order the opening of the market immediately,” HURIWA concluded.