The Federal High Court sitting at Awka, Anambra State, presided over by Justice E. N. Anyadike has ordered the Director-General of National Agency for Drugs and Food Administration and Control, NAFDAC, Mojisola Adeyeye to appear before him on March 30.
The summon is targeted to explain why the court should not order for the reopening of the drug market located at the Niger Bridgehead, Onitsha and other adjoining street markets.
The court also ordered the Chief of Army Staff, COAS, the Inspector General of police , IGP, Kayode Egbetokun, Anambra state Commissioner of Police, the Commander of 302 Regiment, Onitsha, Zonal Director of NAFDAC incharge of Southeast Zone, Martins Iluyomade and the Direction-General of Standard Organization of Nigeria,, SON to appear before him and show cause why they should aid NAFDAC in the continued closure of the market.
In his ruling following an application for an order of mandamus filed by some aggrieved members of the market, including Peter Okala, Alhaji Yunusa Tanko and Prof. Samuel Anidike for themselves and on behalf of other members of Unite Nigeria Group, UNG, Justice Anyadike ordered that all the defendants be served by substituted means.
He therefore adjourned the matter to March 30, this year for a report of compliance and continuation of hearing.
In the Suit No. FHC/AWK/CS/53/2025, the applicants had dragged the respondents to to the court asking it o mandate them to show cause why the court should not Order them to return all the drugs carted away from many shops in the market in the absence of the shop owners and/or reopen the Ogbo ogwu market and other adjoining street markets.
In an application for an order of mandamus brought by Counsel to the Applicants, Chibuike Nwabueze Esq, the presiding judge, Justice Anyadike granted an Order to the Applicants to serve all the Respondents on the suit with both the originating processes and other documents through substituted means.
Also the court ordered that service on the respondents by substituted means shall be deemed as proper and sufficient service.
The Applicants had in an Affidavit setting out the facts upon which their application is made and deposed to by Peter Okala stated that since 9/2/25, NAFDAC and other security agents sealed up not only Ogbo Ogwu market, Niger bridge head Onitsha but also adjoining street markets numbering more than ten.
That on 10/2/25 NAFDAC and other security agents raided the popular Ogbo Ogwu market, Niger bridge head Onitsha, Anambra state confiscated large quantities of pharmaceutical products, drugs and other non consumables from the Applicants shops without a valid court order or search warrant in their absence.
That the South East Zonal Director, Dr. Martin Iluyomade who led other security agents took both the market leadership and the entire traders by surprise as NAFDAC operatives without a valid court order or search warrant moved from shop to shop breaking into these shops in the absence of their owners, confiscated and carted away wide range of drugs and products which NAFDAC itself estimated at over N1 trillion without a single arrest.
That the drugs carted away by NAFDAC operatives led by the South East Zonal director included Alcoholic and none alcoholic beverages, cosmetics, chemicals, Empty plastics, Bags, and Cans as well as Analgesic tablets, gentamicin and other pharmaceutical products quoted by NAFDAC to value over 1trillion Naira.
That the NAFDAC operatives have their spies in the market and some of these spies are jealous of their fellow traders who are more successful than them and are therefore in collaboration with NAFDAC operatives out to pull such traders down.
That it is a known fact that the NAFDAC operatives under took the raid without a valid court order or search warrant and on a false assumption that members of the Applicants at Ogbo Ogwu market, Niger bridge head Onitsha are involved in repackaging and rebaging some drugs in the market which is not true.
The respondents refused to show and/or provide the Applicants members shop at Ogbo Ogwu market, Onitsha where the alleged counterfeit drugs were being repackaged and rebagged.
The NAFDAC operatives raid has crippled over 4,000 businesses belonging to members of the Applicants and rendered the traders whose shops were broken into without a valid court order or search warrant useless for life.
The drugs and other materials confiscated and carted away so far by NAFDAC operatives without a valid court order or search warrant and in the absence of shop owners amounted to over N1 trillion according to NAFDAC.
That this raid on Ogbo Ogwu market, Niger bridge head Onitsha was carried out with out notice to either the Bridge head Onitsha market leadership, or the executive of the various lines and Associations and were done in violation of the fundamental rights of members of the applicants who were absent during the raid.
