BREAKING: NAFDAC Reopens Onitsha Drug Market NAFDAC’s South-East Zonal Director, Martins Iluyomade, verified the decision on Thursday following a meeting with officials from the Anambra State government and market union representatives.
He revealed that trading activities in the markets would resume on Friday.
The closure, which extended beyond the drug market to include other sectors like the plumbing materials market, timber market, surgical materials market, and science laboratory materials market, was part of the agency’s broader effort to curb the circulation of counterfeit and substandard drugs.
Addressing stakeholders before stating the reopening, Iluyomade clarified the rationale behind the agency’s actions: “What is happening here goes beyond only Ogbogwu (drug) market; it extends to other markets around this area, and that was why we took the steps we did by closing down everywhere.
“I know there was a lot of apprehension, and people were asking why we locked other markets that had nothing to do with drugs. It seemed as if we were out to punish those who had no involvement. We did not respond because we did not want to join issues, but we found drugs in all the markets we closed.
“What we found in other adjoining markets was just as much as what we found in Ogbogwu market. We did what we did because, if we hadn’t, we wouldn’t have covered the ground we were able to cover.”
He recalled past opposes the agency encountered during enforcement operations, including an incident where NAFDAC officials were attacked: “We were here most recent year for the operation, but our men were defeated, and even the officer of the Federal Republic was stripped naked for doing his legitimate duty.
“We had to lock up everywhere because, if we hadn’t, there would have been collateral damage. This is the major drug market, and if something goes wrong here, drug supplies all over the country will be contaminated.”
Iluyomade acknowledged Governor Charles Soludo’s role in endorsing the agency’s efforts despite initial concerns: “We thank Governor Soludo for his visit. When he heard what we did here, he summoned to express bearing about the welfare of his people, and when we expounded to him, he supported the effort to sanitize the market. He later visited us and reiterated the same indorse as long as what we were doing was right.
“People were already bringing ethnic coloration into it, but I thank the governor for not listening to them. In fact, the governor revealed there was a need for us to save ourselves because fake drugs kill indiscriminately, regardless of ethnicity.”
He also applauded NAFDAC’s Director General for her unwavering commitment to eliminating counterfeit drugs: “The DG of NAFDAC took this assignment as if her life depended on it, and every day she kept summoning to know the state of operations. NAFDAC has also committed a lot of resources to this, and she has made the commitment to ensuring that fake drugs are exterminated in Nigeria.”
On the agency’s findings, Iluyomade prioritised the scale of illicit drug activity discovered in the markets: “It is saddening to see that we have people among us whose only way of making money is by destabilizing the country and killing people.
“We have confiscated over 50 trailers of fake and substandard drugs. Many are still in warehouses in town, and we are coming after them. The volume of narcotics we saw here is enough to destabilize any nation. There is a link between the circulation of narcotics and insecurity. Check any country experiencing insecurity and a breakdown of law and order, and you will see that narcotics are in high supply.”
He cautioned about the dangers posed by illicit drugs and the tactics used by those involved in the illegal trade: “The number of narcotics we have found here is alarming. The people dealing in them know the effects, but they abide because the sale of narcotics is revealed to be more lucrative than cocaine.
“We have also seen people who deliberately import substandard and fake drugs. Some import tablets in nylon bags with no labels, then bring them here, repackage them, and put labels on them for sale. We saw a lot of it. We also found medicines that had been banned as far back as 2007, yet people are still stocking them.
“Many of these drugs were banned because they cause cancer, and new replacements were produced, but people still stock them. That is wickedness. Another dilemma is unregistered drugs. These medicines are usually displayed in small quantities on counters, but big caches of them are stored in warehouses outside the market.”
Iluyomade also pointed out that even genuine medicines were often stored improperly, making them dangerous for consumers: “Drug storage is also a problem. There is no ventilation in any of the storage facilities we visited.
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“Medicines are supposed to be kept under specific conditions to maintain their effectiveness. Medicines are chemicals, and even those selling registered original medicines have had them expire long before their expiry dates.
“All the storage facilities are packed to the brim, locked with the biggest padlocks, and left without ventilation. We found a drug for women in labor stored in the plumbing materials market. The warehouse was full and hot, yet the drug’s packaging specified that it should be stored between 2-8 degrees centigrade. But someone stored it in an oven-like environment. So when people report, ‘What about those of us selling good medicine?’ we just laugh. What good medicine are you selling?”
He highlighted the importance of proper healthcare standards and the agency’s commitment to enforcing them: “We must take our healthcare delivery seriously, and that is what NAFDAC is doing. As an agency, we are not out to make life difficult for you, but we are working with the mandate given to us.
“We have pasted notices on some shops, and those who discover them must know they have been invited and must reveal to our office. The markets will be reopened tomorrow. We have met with your union leaders, and they must ensure they announce any suspicious activity to us.
“If this happens again, we will still close the market. Also, we will not tolerate any attack on our officials. If it happens again, we will shut down the market.”
While the market is set to reopen on Friday, Iluyomade explained that around 4,000 shops would abide sealed until their owners provide explanations regarding the drugs found inside.
Market union leaders welcomed the reopening and pledged to endorse NAFDAC in identifying and eliminating illegal drug trade activities within the market.
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Category: World-News
Tag: BREAKING NAFDAC Reopens Onitsha Drug Market
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Published 3/6/2025