Traders at the Ogbo-Ogwu Bridgehead Drug Market in Onitsha, Anambra State, staged a protest on Tuesday over the continued closure of their shops by the National Agency for Food, Drug Administration, and Control (NAFDAC).
Under the banner of the Concerned and Genuine Members of Ogbo-Ogwu Drug Market, the traders decried the financial hardship caused by the shutdown, claiming that at least five members had died while others had been hospitalized due to depression and hunger. Over 2,000 protesters marched through major parts of Onitsha, carrying placards and calling for the market’s reopening.
The traders alleged that NAFDAC was demanding N2 million from each shop owner before reopening their stores. Ifeanyi Chinedu, the group’s National Convener, accused NAFDAC of illegally seizing over 60 trailer loads of registered drugs during a raid conducted without the traders’ presence. He urged the Federal Government to intervene and investigate the agency’s actions.
The traders rejected claims that the confiscated drugs were fake and called for an independent panel to verify the seized goods. They also passed a vote of no confidence in the market’s caretaker committee chairman and his executive, demanding their resignation.
NAFDAC’s South-East Zonal Director, Martins Iluyomade, dismissed the allegations, stating that the enforcement operation, which lasted from February 10 to March 5, was carried out in line with the law. He maintained that the seized items lacked NAFDAC approval and included large volumes of narcotics and unregulated medicines that posed security risks.
Despite NAFDAC’s stance, the protesting traders insisted that their products were genuine and pleaded with the government to reopen the market, warning of further economic distress if the closure continued.
