Caretaker chairman of Bridge Head drug market in Onitsha, Anambra state, popularly called Ogbo-Ogwu, Mr. Ndubuisi Chukwuleta, has dismissed the viral video circulating on the social media, where certain traders called him unpalatable names.
In a recent viral video making waves on the social media, certain traders in the market were seen booing and abusing the market chairman – calling him “thief,” among other unpalatable names.
The traders accused the chairman of extorting them, by forcing them to pay the sum of three hundred thousand naira (N300,000) each person, even after paying the sum of seven hundred thousand naira (700,000) per trader, for re-opening of their shops.
This group of traders further explained that the chairman told them that the said N300,000 per trader was to settle the operatives of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), so that they would stop disturbing the market. They also claimed that they were told that anybody that failed to pay would be made uncomfortable in the market.
But in a press conference held in the market secretariate on Saturday, June 28, Chukwuleta raised the alarm claiming that suspended members of the market executive (including one Chibueze Adamu, banned by National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, NAFDAC, from trading in the market several years ago) masterminded the issue in order to cause crisis, breakdown of law and order in the market; with a view to removing him as chairman of the market.
The market leader said that since Chibueze and his co-travellers were suspended, they were hell bent on instigating crisis in the market targeted at toppling his leadership.
While narrating his ordeal in the hands of the suspended traders, the chairman said the recent attack on him was to tarnish his reputation. He called for government intervention on the recent crisis.
He explained, “After NAFDAC recent raid of the market, some fake drugs dealers have refused to allow us rest because, we’ve refused to cover their evil businesses since we assumed office.
“They’ve been working hard to ensure that my image and reputation are tarnished before the government and the general public. They have vowed to make my administration ungovernable. But we’re not afraid of their threats, as long as we’re doing our work well. I was appointed to sanitize our market, and no one can distract me from carrying out this assignment.
“This press briefing is as a result of the trending video clip, where Chibueze and his wife attacked me, calling me thief. I want to put the records straight so that people don’t go out with the wrong notion.
“After signing NAFDAC’s undertaking with certain resolutions, including ensuring that suspected fake products are fished out, and defaulters punished according to our law, my executive commenced raiding of the market.
“We were on the drive, line by line, and shop by shop, when we got to one Chibueze’s shop – a trader in our market. When I wanted to enter, his wife stopped me from gaining entrance.
“As I tried to force myself into the shop, insisting that nobody is above the law, she pushed me out. This attracted other traders, including her husband, Chibueze, who almost fought me.
“Chibueze quickly dashed out of his shop, calling me a thief. Other traders quickly joined him in calling me all sorts of names. Not too long, the whole episode went viral on the social media.
“All these are not only targeted at defaming my character, but also to instigate crisis that can lead to anarchy, so that government will remove me, and hand over leadership of the market to them.
“This is the same Chibueze that a trending video exposed to be one of those banned by NAFDAC in 2007 for his involvement in alleged sale of fake/unregistered products.
In the video, Chibueze was given 48 hour ultimatum to leave the market.
“We’re calling on the Anambra state government, and the NAFDAC to call Chibueze to order to avert looming crisis, as his actions are capable of causing crisis in the market.”
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