Justice Joseph Ifeanyi Nweze of the Anambra State High Court has restrained Governor Chukwuma Charles Soludo from demolishing Onitsha Main Market, a ruling that has brought relief and jubilation to traders.

The court also restrained the State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, the Commissioner of Police, and the Commissioner for Trade and Commerce, who were named as respondents in the suit.

The plaintiffs, led by Izuchukwu Paul Madubuko and represented by Nnamdi Ibegbu (SAN) under Ref No: O/MISC.35/2026, sought a court order preventing the planned demolition.

In the court ruling dated February 25, 2027 and obtained on Saturday, the seven applicants acted on behalf of themselves, traders, and occupants of Human Fence Zone 1 Line in the market.

Governor Soludo had ordered the immediate remodelling of the Onitsha Main Market in a move described as a “hard, but necessary” step for the future.

The governor noted that the once-famed “biggest market in West Africa” has collapsed into a shadow of its old self, adding that the market is “literally dead”.

The governor had marked over 10,000 shops for demolition at the Onitsha Main Market, giving traders a 14-day ultimatum to vacate.

Traders, however, rushed to court to challenge the plan, describing it as a vendetta.

They accused the governor of seeking to seize the market for his associates and warned of the significant financial losses the demolition would cause. They hailed the court’s decision as a victory for the rule of law and traders’ rights.

Delivering the ruling, Justice Nweze ordered all parties to maintain the status quo and refrain from any form of self-help. He instructed the counsels to formally notify the Attorney-General of the proceedings and adjourned the substantive hearing to March 16, 2026.

Meanwhile, the United Igbo Elders Council (UIEC) has appealed to Governor Soludo to reconsider, suggesting alternative measures such as building extension markets or relocating sections of the market rather than total demolition.

In a statement by its President, Dr Emmanuel Udeze, the organisation also urged President Bola Tinubu to caution security agencies against interfering in the development.

UIEC described Onitsha Market as a national treasure that should not be left to the whims of “adventurous governors.”