On 24 January 2026, the Anambra State government announced an end to the regular Monday sit-at-home order through out the length and breadth of the state.
This is coming four years after the South East zone has continued to observe the order, following the rendition and continuous detention of the leader of the Indigenous People Of Biafra, IPOB since 2021.
To enforce the end to this destructive order by the IPOB, the state government also said it has commenced pro-rata salary payments for workers across the state as part of efforts to end the Monday sit-at-home.
According to government, with effect from February 2026, civil servants’ salaries will be paid according to pro-rata.
The state Commissioner for Information, Dr. Law Mefor, made this known to journalists in Awka on Saturday.
Dr. Mefor added that the initiative was decided during the end-of-tenure retreat of the Anambra State Executive Council, held in Awka.
He said the retreat was held to review the activities of Governor Chukwuma Soludo’s administration over the past four years and to craft a better focus for the new term commencing on March 17, 2026.
The commissioner further lamented that for the past four years, Anambra public and civil servants had often stayed away from work on Mondays due to the sit-at-home, citing insecurity and lack of transportation facilities.
In his words, “The retreat acknowledged that even though these factors existed in the past, they no longer exist, making them invalid reasons for absenteeism from work.
“The workers were simply enjoying the sit-at-home because they know that whether they come to work or not, they will be paid salaries.
“The ANSEC retreat has decided to put a stop to the anomaly. Ordinarily, the matter should be treated as a case of absenteeism, which could lead to dismissal from service, as is captured in the civil service law.
“But we are not following that route. The state government has decided that it is paying pro-rata from this February. So if you don’t want to lose your salary for that Monday, then you come to work.
“The mechanism is already in place and forms are being devised, so that workers can clock in on Monday morning and clock out at the close of work.”
Highlighting the effects of the sit-at-home order in the state, Mefor said that civil servants’ absence from work on Mondays negatively impacts the productivity of the state government.
“Any day civil servants fail to come to work, it means that the state government’s business will stagnate and, by implication, the economy of the state will stagnate. Income accrueable to government will be lost and there’s no guarantee that such losses can be recovered.
“For example, if the staff of the Anambra Internal Revenue Service and other MDAs decide to absent from work on Monday, the state loses a lot of monies and impedes the progress of work.”
He added, “This is part of the reason for the decision to pay pro-rata; it is to ensure that every naira spent reflects fairness, efficiency, and sustainability.
“Do we now say we give up Monday and take Saturday as a working day? That will not work. It will mean that Anambra State has yielded to whoever introduced this sit-at-home, and again, we will be the only state working on Saturdays in Nigeria, and that will be absurd.
“So, it is only reasonable to start with this pro-rata payment to get the workers to resume on Mondays.
“The state is losing so much due to the sit-at-home and the government cannot be asking the markets and other informal sectors to show up on Monday when its own workforce has refused to come,” he added.
He further stated that there is ongoing negotiation with market leaders to open markets on Mondays, while the state government is also boosting security to build traders’ confidence to operate on Mondays.
On how the pro-rata payment will be calculated, the commissioner said the 24 working days of the month will be used to divide each worker’s salary to determine what they will earn at the end of the month.
“The thing has to be done. Four years is enough. The economic loss of the sit-at-home runs into trillions since it started, according to an international firm.
“It is a decision the state government has taken and the implementation is already on,” Mefor concluded.
The directive was contained in a letter dated January 22, 2026, and signed by the Board Secretary of the Universal Basic Education Board, Loveline Mgbemena. Mgbemena directed all permanent board members, officers in charge of the 21 local government areas, zonal directors, and departmental directors to bring the content of the letter to the notice of all staff under them and ensure compliance.
IPOB dares Gov. Soludo
However, following this development, the Indigenous People Of Biafra, IPOB on Sunday issued a statement warning Gov. Soludo against forcing residents to come out on Mondays.
In a press release on Sunday by the group’s Spokesperson and Publicity Secretary, Comrade Emma Powerful and made available to WITHIN NIGERIA stated that sit-at-home is civil disobedience, not terrorism.
The release entitled “SOLUDO MUST RESPECT THE PEOPLE’S WILL: MONDAY SIT-AT-HOME IS A LEGAL, PEACEFUL CIVIL PROTEST, NOT A CRIME-IPOB” reads; “The attention of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and all lovers of justice has been drawn to the reported threat by Governor Chukwuma Charles Soludo to penalise and intimidate citizens who choose to remain indoors on Mondays as a symbolic act of solidarity with our leader, Onyendu Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, who is being unlawfully detained by enemies of the Igbo race and the Biafra restoration project which he leads.
“Let it be stated clearly and without ambiguity: Anambra is not a military barracks. The people are not tenants in their own land. No Governor has the lawful power to compel free citizens to open their businesses or move about against their will, especially when their action is a peaceful, non-violent expression of conscience.
“1. MONDAY SIT-AT-HOME IS CIVIL DISOBEDIENCE — NOT TERRORISM
Governor Soludo, as a man who parades the title “Professor,” should be the first to recognise the elementary democratic principle called civil disobedience—a peaceful refusal to cooperate with policies and conditions viewed as unjust.
“If businessmen, traders, students, professionals, elders and youths voluntarily choose to sit at home on Mondays as a silent protest against the continued detention and persecution of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, that is their right. It is not a crime. It is not rebellion. It is not an offence.
“A government that turns peaceful protest into punishable misconduct is simply declaring war on the people’s dignity.
“2. THE GOVERNOR SHOULD STOP FIGHTING HIS OWN PEOPLE TO IMPRESS ABUJA
Governor Soludo must not pretend he does not understand what is happening. Nobody is deceived.”
Stressing further, IPOB stated that “The frustration in Igboland is deep. The anger is justified. The pain is historic. And the Monday sit-at-home is a token expression of that collective burden.
“But instead of confronting the injustice that fuels agitation, the Governor has chosen the weak and disgraceful route of harassing his own people—to be seen as “loyal” by Abuja power brokers who have shown nothing but contempt for Igbo lives and Igbo dignity.
“When criminal violence is tolerated elsewhere, and killers are pampered, negotiated with, and incentivised under “rehabilitation,” it is a tragedy that an Igbo governor would devote his energy to threatening traders, punishing youths, and blackmailing citizens for choosing to stay in their homes peacefully.
“3. ANY TASK FORCE AGAINST THE PEOPLE WILL BE AN ILLEGAL PROVOCATION
We issue this warning in the strongest possible terms:
If Governor Soludo, in his desperation for applause, proceeds to establish any task force, enforcement squad, or vigilante-style unit to coerce citizens into opening shops through threats, extortion, harassment, arrests, or intimidation, then he has crossed a red line.
“That will not be governance.
That will be provocation.
That will be oppression.
“And the people will treat it for what it is: an open declaration of hostility against the spirit of Biafra and the collective resolve of Ndị Igbo.
“4. NO ONE FORCES ANYONE TO SIT AT HOME — AND NO ONE WILL FORCE THEM TO LEAVE
Let us be clear for the record:
“We do not force people to sit at home.
But no government will force them to go out.
“The sit-at-home is voluntary. It is a choice. It is a personal and collective statement of solidarity. People who stay home on Mondays do so because they believe sacrifice is part of the struggle for justice and freedom.
“This is Igboland. We have honour. We have dignity. We understand history. We understand what oppression looks like. We understand what freedom costs.
“5. SOLUDO SHOULD DELIVER GOVERNANCE, NOT THREATS
Governor Soludo should focus on the mandate he begged for: security, infrastructure, jobs, and development. If he truly believes in the “Dubai” rhetoric he sold to Anambra people, then he should deliver it through competence, not coercion.
“A governor who fights traders for protesting injustice is not building Dubai.
He is building resentment.
He is planting division.
He is igniting a fire he cannot control.
“6. THE SOLUTION REMAINS SIMPLE: FREE MAZI NNAMDI KANU
The Governor knows the truth he is avoiding:
The solution is not threats. The solution is justice.
The solution is the release of Onyendu Mazi Nnamdi Kanu who is the symbol of our freedom and hope.
“Until that injustice is addressed, every Monday will remain a day of silent protest. Not by decree. Not by violence. But by conscience.”
In conclusion, IPOB said that “Governor Soludo is advised in his own interest to stop threatening Ndi Anambra and Ndi Igbo. The people are not his enemies. His duty is to protect them, not punish them. To lead them, not provoke them. To serve them, not subjugate them.
“Let him not start what he cannot finish.
“Because history has never been kind to leaders who attack their own people to impress external masters.”
Residents ignore Gov. Soludo
WITHIN NIGERIA gathered that despite the threat by the state governor, residents of Ekwulobia, Aguata, Onitsha, Awka and other major cities in the state summarily flouted the order, remained indoors Monday.
Equally some major markets including Onitsha main market was also under lock and key on Monday.
Some of the residents of these cities contacted on phone by our reporter explained that it was better to stay at home safely than to be killed by unknown gunmen in their shop as obtained before.
One of the traders at Onitsha main market, Livinus Odoh who spoke to our reporter said that ” I cannot risk my life to the market on Monday simply because a governor who has more than thirty security men around gave an order.”
Mr. Odoh also explained that ” even if I go on Monday, will I be able to see customers? Many people are already used to staying at home on Mondays.”
However, some civil servants also stayed away while watching the development with regards to the safety of those who resumed on Monday.
Gov. Soludo visits Onitsha main market, orders 7 days closure
On Monday, Gov. Soludo went round the major markets in the state to assess the level of compliance to the state government.
When he got to Onitsha main market, he discovered that the once biggest market in west Africa is under lock and key as traders have continued to obey sit-at-home order.
Gov. Soludo closes Onitsha main market
Angered by the attitude of the traders, Anambra State Governor, Professor Chukwuma Soludo, ordered the closure of the Onitsha Main Market for one week following traders’ failure to comply with the state government’s directive to disregard the Monday sit-at-home order.
The governor stressed that despite repeated assurances of enhanced security and appeals to secure the public spaces many traders at Onitsha market once again chose to keep their stalls locked.
He stated that their absence amounted to a quiet rebellion that nonetheless spoke volumes about the lingering climate of fear.
In his words, “The government cannot stand by while a few individuals willfully undermine public safety and disregard official directives meant to restore normalcy. This is plain economic sabotage.
“We are not going to allow this. The closure is a protective measure for law-abiding citizens.”
Gov. Soludo issued a stern warning that if the market fails to reopen after the one-week shutdown, it will be sealed for one month.
“You either decide that you are going to trade here or you go elsewhere. I am very serious about this,” the governor added.
WITHIN NIGERIA gathered that scene at the market on Monday was marked by tense enforcement, as a joint task force comprising police, army, and other security agencies was seen securing the perimeter.
In any case, as traders in Onitsha main market continue to grapple with the shut down of the market by the state governor, the Indigenous People Of Biafra, IPOB issued a press release on Monday, expressing their gratitude to the people of the state for their observance of the Monday sit-at-home.
In a statement by its Spokesperson and Publicity Secretary Comrade Emma Powerful on Monday entitled “ANAMBRA PEOPLE HAVE SPOKEN: WE SALUTE YOUR COURAGE — GOVERNOR SOLUDO MUST STOP THREATENING OUR MARKETS-IPOB” asked Gov.Soludo to fight for the release of Nnamdi Kanu, not his people who observe sit-at-home order.
“The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), under the supreme leadership of Onyendu Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, sincerely thanks and salutes the great people of Anambra State for today’s peaceful sit-at-home observed in solidarity with our leader.
“Ndi Anambra have once again shown the world that dignity is more valuable than money, and that sacrifice is sometimes required in the pursuit of justice and freedom. At a time when other ethnic groups in Nigeria openly defend their own and protect their collective interests, Ndị Igbo have continued to demonstrate uncommon courage by demanding the release of Onyendu Mazi Nnamdi Kanu.
“It is therefore disappointing and unacceptable that Governor Chukwuma Charles Soludo—who once visited Onyendu Mazi Nnamdi Kanu in detention and knows the truth—has chosen to turn around and threaten the same people he swore to protect, merely to impress Abuja interests that have never prioritised the wellbeing of the Igbo race.
“OPEN YOUR BUSINESSES TOMORROW — IGNORE INTIMIDATION
IPOB calls on all law-abiding residents and business owners across Onitsha, Nnewi and Awka to troop out en masse tomorrow and open their shops and markets peacefully.
“No Governor, even the one aspiring to please his Abuja masters has the power to punish citizens for peacefully exercising their conscience. No administration has the right to weaponise markets against the people. The threats to shut down markets for the rest of the week are not governance—they are intimidation, and Ndi Anambra must not surrender their rights to fear. Any entity preventing the opening of our markets on Tuesday will have something greater than them to contend with.
“SOLUDO SHOULD CAMPAIGN FOR MAZI NNAMDI KANU’S RELEASE, NOT FIGHT HIS OWN PEOPLE
Governor Soludo must understand that the sit-at-home remains what it has always been: a civil disobedience and silent protest against injustice.
“If Governor Soludo understands democracy, he should know that democracy is not measured by intimidation, task forces, or threats. Democracy is measured by respect for the freedom of thought, conscience, and lawful protest.”
The release further stated that “Ndi Anambra have shown honour and courage. But Governor Soludo has regrettably shown that he is prepared to trade the people’s dignity for political convenience.
“THE ERA OF WARRANT CHIEFS IS OVER. We are not slaves in our ancestral land. The era of warrant chiefs enforcing colonial interests against their own people is long gone. Anambra people will not be ruled by threats and blackmail.
“Governor Soludo will not remain in office forever. The day he leaves office, history will judge his choices—and the people will remember who stood with them and who stood against them.
“OUR POSITION REMAINS CLEAR
The solution is straightforward:
Release Onyendu Mazi Nnamdi Kanu.
Until that is done, the demand for justice will not disappear.
“We urge all Ndị Igbo to remain peaceful, disciplined and focused. This struggle is moral, lawful and historic—and intimidation will not stop a people determined to be free.”
However, on Tuesday, January 27, 2026, traders at Onitsha main market and other markets took to the streets in protest against the closure of major markets in the city by the governor.
Traders were reportedly chanting slogans, carrying placards with inscriptions like ” Soludo open our market” “We like monday sit-at-home,” etc.
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