By George Mgbeleke

Fearing that the closure of Onitsha Main Market for one week will deprived hundreds of thousands of the good people of Anambra state of their daily bread and make life unbearable for millions of their customers who need their goods and services, the governor of Anambra state Professor Chukwuma Nwangbafor Soludo has been asked by the HUMAN RIGHTS WRITERS ASSOCIATION OF NIGERIA (HURIWA) to reopen the Onitsha Main Market.

Conversely, the striking workers of the Federal Capital Territory and the Minister of the Federal capital Territory Barrister Nyesom Wike have been urged to resolve their differences amicably so hundreds of thousands of children from poor homes attending publicly funded educational institutions in the Federal Capital can go back to school so their constitutionally guaranteed rights to quality education is not unduly denied them even as the Rights group described the agitation for improved wages as a fundamental right of workers. HURIWA has prayed the minister as someone appointed by the President to serve the interest of the citizens to consider the issue of the unpaid allowances that the striking workers are demanding so hostility would cease.

HURIWA recalled that the Anambra State Governor, Professor Chukwuma Soludo, had 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 gave the directive on Monday during an on-site visit to the market, along with some of his aides and other government officials.

Soludo warned that the closure could be extended if traders fail to comply with the directive, adding that security agencies have sealed the market to enforce the order.

The governor described the development as the latest—and perhaps most drastic—salvo in a protracted struggle over control of economic life in the South-East on Monday.

Reacting, the prominent pro-democracy and civil rights advocacy group HUMAN RIGHTS WRITERS ASSOCIATION OF NIGERIA (HURIWA) said the closure of the Onitsha Main Market is not the appropriate step or measure to be adopted by the governor in his attempt to compel the traders to open their places of businesses on Monday.

HURIWA said the best approach to adopt is to hold consultative sessions with the leaderships of the market with a view to convincing them to keep their shops opened on Mondays with a firm guarantee of formidable security of lives and property should the traders comply with the directive of the state government. “It is a known fact that armed attackers have killed hundreds of innocent people going about their duties on Monday for failing to observe the sit-at-home order. Assuring the people of effective protection of the lives and property is critical towards convincing them to be at work on Mondays.

Comrade Emmanuel Nnadozie Onwubiko the National Coordinator of HURIWA said keeping commercial activities up and running during the working days is a necessity to revive the economy of the South-East of Nigeria that has suffered prolonged violent campaign by some gunmen who had insisted that nobody or offices should be operated on Monday in solidarity with their agitation. “Honestly, we do not subscribe to this draconian and very extreme punitive measure of shutting down the market because the action will unleash massive hunger, deprivation and unemployment which Governor Soludo is elected to eradicate. This closure is counterproductive and we earnestly appeal to His Excellency the governor of Anambra state to rescind the decision and order the opening of the market immediately.

HURIWA spoke too about the ongoing strike by workers of the FCT and appealed to the striking workers to resist the temptation of adopting extreme and combative measure with the political authority just as the group asked the FCT minister to positively consider the demands of the workers because according to the Rights group the costs of living in Nigeria have become very unbearable just as inflation has eroded the purchasing power of the salaries that public workers earned in Naira which has become the most worthless means of exchange in the world due to unbridled devaluation.

“We believe honestly that the public interest is best served when the minister of FCT and the striking workers accept to mutually explore constructive and peaceful negotiations to reach agreeable decisions that would be actualised with minimal rancour.

“It is totally unacceptable that hundreds of thousands of children from struggling and poor households in the FCT have been displaced from their educational activities following the strike. The FCT minister should do everything within his power to amicably resolve this industrial action which in any case is a constitutional labour right of workers to embark on peaceful strikes to agitate for enhanced working environment and payments. What would happen if public hospitals are shut down is that the lives of thousands of poor citizens could be deprived due to strike action. We call for a swift and constructive end to this strike in the nation’s capital city. HURIWA reminded the minister that thousands of Abuja residents whose children attend public schools cannot afford to spend humongous amounts of US Dollars or Pounds to train their children in schools in Europe and America as most Political office holders do in this and previous political dispensation.

HURIWA recalled that workers of the Federal Capital Territory Administration have on Monday, 18 January 2026, commenced an indefinite strike.

The FCTA staff intend to shut down government offices across Abuja to press unresolved pay and welfare demands, union leaders said.

The action was ordered by the Joint Union Action Congress (JUAC).

The unions said the strike followed the expiry of a seven-day ultimatum given to FCTA management after meetings failed to resolve grievances.

“Yes, we are embarking on a strike on Monday,” JUAC public relations officer Holina Adejoh told the media.

JUAC listed several complaints, including unpaid promotion arrears, stalled promotions, the continued extension of service for retired directors and permanent secretaries, and alleged failure to remit workers’ pension and National Housing Fund deductions.

The unions also described a “mass failure” in the 2024 promotion exams that they say affected many staff.

The strike is expected to affect all FCTA secretariats, departments, agencies, area councils and parastatals, potentially grounding many public services in the territory.

The unions said copies of their strike notice were sent to the Minister of State for the FCT, the Chief of Staff and the Head of Service.