Anambra drug traders protest market closure by NAFDAC
Traders at the Ogbo-Ogwu Bridgehead Drug Market in Onitsha, Anambra State, staged a protest on Tuesday against the ongoing closure of their shops by the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC).
Operating under the banner of Concerned and Genuine Members of Ogbo-Ogwu Drug Market, the traders expressed their distress over the severe hardships and financial strain this situation has caused them.
More than 2,000 demonstrators participated in the protest, carrying placards with various messages as they marched from Oshogbo Park to the River Niger Bridge in Onitsha and back to Uga Junction. They reported that at least five traders have died and many others have been hospitalized due to stress and hunger.
The protesters accused NAFDAC of demanding N2 million from each trader as a condition for reopening the market.
During the protest, Ifeanyi Chinedu, the National Convener and Secretary of the Concerned Genuine Members of Ogbo-Ogwu Drug Market, addressed the media, stating that their shops remain closed despite NAFDAC's assertions to the contrary.
Chinedu called on the Federal Government to intervene with NAFDAC to facilitate the reopening of the market and to investigate allegations regarding the seizure of counterfeit drugs. He insisted that NAFDAC officials unlawfully entered their shops in their absence and confiscated genuine registered drugs, amounting to over 60 trailer loads.
He outlined their demands, stating, “We, the members of the Ogbo-Ogwu drug market, after our long-awaited first general meeting with the caretaker committee chairman and his executives since NAFDAC's invasion, declare the following:
“NAFDAC unlawfully invaded our shops and seized properly registered goods valued at billions of Naira.
“They also confiscated medications from multinational companies based in the USA, Germany, Turkey, and Pakistan, all of which meet international standards and are of impeccable quality.”
Traders at the Ogbo-Ogwu Bridgehead Drug Market in Onitsha, Anambra State, staged a protest on Tuesday against the ongoing closure of their shops by the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC).
Operating under the banner of Concerned and Genuine Members of Ogbo-Ogwu Drug Market, the traders expressed their distress over the severe hardships and financial strain this situation has caused them.
More than 2,000 demonstrators participated in the protest, carrying placards with various messages as they marched from Oshogbo Park to the River Niger Bridge in Onitsha and back to Uga Junction. They reported that at least five traders have died and many others have been hospitalized due to stress and hunger.
The protesters accused NAFDAC of demanding N2 million from each trader as a condition for reopening the market.
During the protest, Ifeanyi Chinedu, the National Convener and Secretary of the Concerned Genuine Members of Ogbo-Ogwu Drug Market, addressed the media, stating that their shops remain closed despite NAFDAC's assertions to the contrary.
Chinedu called on the Federal Government to intervene with NAFDAC to facilitate the reopening of the market and to investigate allegations regarding the seizure of counterfeit drugs. He insisted that NAFDAC officials unlawfully entered their shops in their absence and confiscated genuine registered drugs, amounting to over 60 trailer loads.
He outlined their demands, stating, “We, the members of the Ogbo-Ogwu drug market, after our long-awaited first general meeting with the caretaker committee chairman and his executives since NAFDAC's invasion, declare the following:
“NAFDAC unlawfully invaded our shops and seized properly registered goods valued at billions of Naira.
“They also confiscated medications from multinational companies based in the USA, Germany, Turkey, and Pakistan, all of which meet international standards and are of impeccable quality.”
We continue to adhere to the laws set forth by the Federal Government under the leadership of President Bola Tinubu. Additionally, we express our allegiance to the state government led by Prof Chukwuma Soludo, he stated.
Trader Uchechukwu Ola remarked, “Our market has been closed for two months, and during this time, we have struggled to provide for ourselves, as this shop is our sole means of livelihood.
“We urge the government to reopen the market; we sell legitimate products, and the allegations made by NAFDAC regarding our market are false. The medications that were confiscated are authentic and properly registered.”
In response, Martins Iluyomade, the Zonal Director of NAFDAC for the South-East, refuted all claims, asserting that the agency's officers conducted the enforcement operation from February 10 to March 5, 2025, in accordance with legal guidelines.
Iluyomade emphasized that all items removed from the stores lacked NAFDAC approval, reiterating the current management's commitment to eradicating counterfeit drugs from the marketplace.
He stated, “The accusations are groundless and without merit. Our enforcement operation lasted approximately one month, from February 10 to March 5, and we conducted it in compliance with the law. We confiscated significant quantities of narcotics and other unapproved medications due to their harmful effects.
“The amount we discovered during this operation is sufficient to destabilize a nation; research indicates a link between these substances and insecurity.”
