Officials of the Anambra State Government, supported by the state security outfit Operation Udo Ga Achi, code-named Agunechemba, have sealed more than 1,000 shops at the popular Bridgehead Drug Market Ogbogwu in Onitsha.
The enforcement action was reportedly carried out over alleged non-compliance with the directive issued by Chukwuma Soludo suspending the Monday sit-at-home order across the state.
The operation began around 2:30 p.m. on Monday, March 16, when government officials, accompanied by members of the security outfit, moved through the market placing red labels marked “Sealed” on shops that were found closed.
Shops that were open and conducting business were not affected during the exercise. Some traders who were present at the market were seen making phone calls to notify shop owners whose stores had been locked and sealed by officials.
Efforts to contact the chairman of the Ogbogwu Market, Chukwuleta Ndubuisi, for comments were unsuccessful due to network issues. Reacting to the development, the President of the Ogbaru Main Market Traders Association, Ndubuisi Ochiogu, said traders had been complying with the directive to open for business on Mondays.
He explained that a joint monitoring team from the state government and Ogbaru Local Government Area had earlier visited the market and commended traders for their level of compliance. Ochiogu said: “We open our shops every Monday in compliance with Governor Soludo’s order, and more traders have continued to respond positively.”
