Merchants at the Ogbo-Ogwu Bridgehead Drug Market in Onitsha, Anambra State, staged a protest on Tuesday against the ongoing shutdown of their stores by the National Agency for Food, Drug Administration, and Control.
The traders, representing themselves as Dedicated and Authentic Participants of the Ogbo-Ogwu Drug Market, expressed their concerns about how this situation has caused significant hardships and financial strain for them.
More than 2,000 upset demonstrators held signs with various messages as they paraded through the marketplace. They started at Oshogbo Park, proceeded all the way to the River Niger Bridge in Onitsha, and returned to Uga Junction. The protestors asserted that at least five merchants had passed away and numerous individuals were admitted to hospitals because of depression and starvation.
They claimed that NAFDAC is asking for ₦2 million from everyone before they will reopen the market.
During his address to the press at the protest, Ifeanyi Chinedu, the National Convener/Secretary of Concerned Genuine Members of Ogbo-Ogwu Drugs Market, stated that their stores remain locked and sealed. This contradicts NAFDAC’s assertion that they have since been reopened.
Chinedu encouraged the Federal Government to urge NAFDAC to reinstate the market access and scrutinize allegations regarding the confiscation of counterfeit medications. He maintained that NAFDAC personnel unlawfully entered their stores without permission and removed authentic, officially registered medicines amounting to more than 60 truckloads across different outlets.
He outlined several of their requests, stating, “As representatives from the Ogbo-Ogwu drug market, we convened our inaugural comprehensive assembly with the acting committee head and his team post the incursion by NAFDAC personnel into our marketplace, leading us to declare as follows.”
That NAFDAC entered our individual stores in our absence and took away products that were duly registered, valued at billions of naira.
They similarly transported medications sourced from multinational corporations based in the USA, Germany, Turkey, and Pakistan—companies known for their international standards and exceptional quality.
The assertions made by NAFDAC claiming that all the seized medications are counterfeit and inferior are cruel and unfounded accusations designed to damage the reputation of numerous legitimate traders and businesspeople operating within the Ogbo-Ogwu pharmaceutical market.
We urge the Federal Government to establish an authoritative investigative committee to examine the items removed in more than 60 truckloads, aiming to verify the accuracy of statements made by the NAFDAC Director-General and certain dishonest officials.
The assertions made by NAFDAC officials stating they conducted searches under our watch at each store are nothing but deceitful fabrications designed to cover up their atrocious actions from this millennium—barbarically breaching, invading, rummaging through, and plundering an individual’s store without them present, as well as raiding stalls within the marketplace.
The discontented traders similarly expressed a lack of confidence in the interim committee chairperson and their team through a formal vote and demanded they step down immediately.
They asserted that NAFDAC had levied a penalty of 2 million naira prior to reopening any store, stating this was required for documentation reasons.
NAFDAC requires every storeowner to pay an amount of 2 million naira to them prior to opening their business; we find this demand absurd. We completely oppose the unlawful penalties levied against us by NAFDAC and urge the Federal Minister of Health, the National Security Advisor, as well as the National Assembly to intervene on our behalf.
We urgently call for the immediate and unconditional reopening of the Ogbo-Ogwu drug market so that legitimate business owners can assess the extent of theft inflicted upon them. More than five people have passed away, with numerous others hospitalized because of depression.
We demand the swift prosecution of individuals found with allegedly counterfeit and inferior medications, working alongside the current interim committee, which assisted in introducing these dangerous substances into the marketplace.
“We continue to adhere to the laws set forth by the federal government under President Bola Tinubu. Additionally, we commit our allegiance to the state government headed by Prof. Chukwuma Soludo,” he stated.
A trader named Uchechukwu Ola stated, “Our marketplace has been closed for two months now, and during this time, we’ve struggled to make ends meet because the store is our sole means of support.”
We urge the government to liberalize the market; we operate as authentic product distributors; the assertions made by NAFDAC regarding the market are inaccurate. The medications that were seized are legitimate and properly registered.
Upon being reached for comment, the NAFDAC’s Zonal Director of the South-East region, Martins Iluyomade, refuted all claims, affirming that their staff conducted the inspection between February 10 and March 5, 2025, as mandated by the legislation governing the organization.
Iluyomade stated that none of the products taken from the stores had NAFDAC approval, and reiterated that the present administration at NAFDAC is dedicated to eradicating counterfeit medications from the marketplaces.
He stated, “These accusations lack foundation and evidence. Our operation lasted approximately one month, spanning from February 10 to March 5, during which we adhered strictly to legal guidelines. We seized large quantities of unauthorized drugs and medications due to their adverse effects.”
The amount of material uncovered during this exercise exceeds what would be necessary to destabilize a nation; according to our findings, there is a link between these materials and increased instability.
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