…UNIEC noted that Onitsha Main Market sustains millions of Nigerians and traders across West and Central Africa,
ANAMBRA, NIGERIA- The iNews Times | The United Igbo Elders Council Worldwide (UNIEC) has urged Charles Soludo to halt the ongoing demolition of shops at the Onitsha Main Market, warning that further action could trigger severe economic hardship and humanitarian challenges.
In a statement released on Monday by its Chairman and Director-General, Justice Alpha Ikpeama, titled “UNIEC Warns Against Demolition of 10,000 Shops,” the Igbo council commended the governor’s urban renewal agenda but cautioned that development efforts should not jeopardize the livelihoods of traders in Onitsha, which it described as the commercial nerve centre of the Igbo people.
UNIEC noted that Onitsha Main Market sustains millions of Nigerians and traders across West and Central Africa, supporting extensive networks in commerce, transportation, logistics, manufacturing, and apprenticeship. It stressed that urban renewal should not amount to economic displacement, adding that leadership is measured not only by infrastructural achievements but by the welfare of the people.
The council emphasized that each shop represents families, schoolchildren, women managing households, apprentices acquiring skills, and elderly citizens dependent on daily trade. It warned that large-scale displacement could worsen unemployment, heighten poverty levels, and fuel insecurity.
UNIEC called on the Anambra State Government to open wide consultations with traders, market executives, traditional rulers, and civil society groups, and to ensure that any relocation plan provides fully developed alternative markets and structured transition measures.
The appeal followed the state government’s commencement of the demolition of about 10,000 shops on Sunday, despite a High Court order directing parties to maintain the status quo. Authorities said the exercise was aimed at restoring the market’s original master plan and ensuring smoother trading activities. The early morning operation, which began around 4:00 a.m., involved security agencies including the police, the Department of State Services (DSS), Operation Udo-Gaucho, and Agunechemba.
While some traders reportedly evacuated their goods ahead of the exercise, others dismantled their own structures to avoid further losses. Residents and legal experts have criticised the action, questioning the government’s decision to proceed despite the interim order issued by J. I. Nweze, which scheduled a substantive hearing for March 16, 2026.
Observers warned that disregarding court directives could erode public trust in governance and weaken respect for the rule of law.
UNIEC expressed confidence in Governor Soludo’s leadership, maintaining that genuine development must strike a balance between urban transformation and the protection of livelihoods, and pledged to pursue constructive engagement to protect the market community while supporting sustainable reforms.
