Anambra State Governor, Chukwuma Soludo, yesterday, disclosed that the suspension of the weekly sit-at-home order in the South-East has begun to yield visible economic recovery, with more than 45,000 shops reopening for business on Mondays at the Onitsha Main Market alone.

Soludo attributed the renewed commercial activity to sustained security operations by his administration, which, he said, had led to the dismantling of over 62 criminal camps across the state.

Speaking with journalists after a closed-door meeting with President Bola Tinubu at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, the governor described the reopening of markets and schools on Mondays as a “turning point” for the region’s economy.

According to him, years of enforced shutdowns under the sit-at-home directive declared by the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) over the incarceration of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu had inflicted deep social and economic costs, pushing some businesses and investments out of the South-East.

He noted that the economic impact extended beyond lost daily income, warning that recurring closures eroded investor confidence and long-term growth prospects.

Soludo explained that his government moved early to strengthen community-based security structures, establishing theAgunechemba vigilante outfit alongside anti-cult and anti-touting task forces to restore order and public confidence.

He said the collaboration among the various groups had significantly reduced criminal activity, enabling residents and traders to resume normal routines.

Highlighting the scale of the losses previously suffered, the governor said each lost Monday represented nearly a fifth of weekly productivity for informal businesses and schools that operate six days a week.

He pointed to Onitsha Main Market, regarded as one of West Africa‘s largest trading hubs, as a clear example of the turnaround, recounting scenes of large crowds and celebratory mood among traders since the resumption of full Monday operations.

Soludo also disclosed that the state government had commenced plans to regenerate the market’s infrastructure, reclaim parking areas converted to stalls and reposition the facility as a leading commercial centre in the sub-region.