Anambra State Governor, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo, on Wednesday said the suspension of the weekly sit-at-home order in the Southeast has begun to translate into tangible economic recovery, with over 45,000 shops reopening for business on Mondays at the Onitsha Main Market alone.

Soludo attributed the resurgence in commercial activity to sustained security operations by his administration, which he said have led to the dismantling of more than 62 criminal camps across the state.

The governor spoke to State House correspondents after a closed-door meeting with President Bola Tinubu at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, describing the reopening of markets and schools on Mondays as a major turning point for the Southeast’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 imposed severe social and economic costs on the region, forcing some businesses and investors to relocate.

He said the damage went beyond lost daily earnings, warning that repeated closures undermined investor confidence and weakened long-term growth prospects.

Soludo explained that his government responded early by strengthening community-based security architecture, including the establishment of the Agunechemba vigilante outfit, alongside coordinated anti-cultism and anti-touting task forces, to restore public order and confidence.

According to him, collaboration among these security structures has significantly reduced criminal activity, allowing residents, traders and students to resume normal routines without fear.

Highlighting the scale of the economic losses previously suffered, the governor noted that each lost Monday amounted to nearly one-fifth of weekly productivity for informal businesses and schools that operate six days a week.

He cited Onitsha Main Market, widely regarded as one of West Africa’s largest trading hubs, as a clear indicator of the turnaround, describing scenes of heavy foot traffic and renewed optimism among traders since full Monday operations resumed.

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

While clarifying that his meeting with the President was not primarily security-focused, the governor stressed that sustaining peace, stability and economic normalcy remains a standing priority of his administration.