The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has reopened the Onitsha Drug Market and its adjoining markets after nearly a month-long closure.
The move follows extensive investigations into the circulation of fake and substandard drugs in the area.
Speaking on Thursday, Mr. Martins Iluyomade, NAFDAC’s South-East Zonal Director, announced the decision after a meeting with Anambra State government officials and market union leaders.
He confirmed that business operations would officially resume on Friday across the affected markets, including the plumbing, timber, surgical, and science laboratory materials markets.
The markets were initially shut down as part of NAFDAC’s crackdown on the sale of illicit drugs.
According to Iluyomade, the agency discovered fake and substandard drugs in significant quantities, not only in the Ogbogwu Drug Market but also in adjoining markets.
“What we found in the adjoining markets was just as alarming as what we uncovered in the Ogbogwu Drug Market. Closing down these markets was a necessary step to address the widespread issue comprehensively,” Iluyomade explained.
He revealed that the agency faced challenges during their previous operations, with NAFDAC officials being attacked and even stripped of their uniforms
According to him, these incidents underscored the need for stricter measures to prevent collateral damage and ensure the safety of the enforcement teams.
He stated that Governor Charles Soludo of Anambra State played a critical role in supporting the agency’s efforts, and despite initial concerns from the public about the market closures, the Governor backed NAFDAC’s mandate to sanitize the market and rid the state of harmful drugs.
“Fake drugs kill indiscriminately, regardless of ethnicity,”
“The governor understood theI importance of our actions and ensured that politics did not interfere with our mission.”Ilumoyade said.
NAFDAC’s findings revealed shocking practices, including the importation of unlabeled drugs, repackaging expired products, and the storage of medicines under unsafe conditions.
The agency confiscated over 50 trailers of fake and substandard drugs during the operation, with more still to be recovered.
Iluyomade highlighted the alarming volume of narcotics discovered, linking it to the rising insecurity in the country. “The narcotics we found here are enough to destabilize any nation. There is a direct connection between drug circulation and insecurity,” he noted.
Also, some legitimate drugs were found stored in poor conditions, causing them to lose their efficacy. For example, drugs requiring refrigeration were stored in hot, unventilated warehouses, rendering them harmful long before their expiration dates.
While reopening the market, Iluyomade emphasized that about 4,000 shops would remain locked until their owners provide satisfactory explanations for the drugs found within. He also warned that any future attacks on NAFDAC officials or resurgence of illicit drug activities would lead to another market closure.
Market union leaders expressed gratitude for the reopening and vowed to cooperate with NAFDAC to identify traders engaging in illegal drug sales.
“We are committed to working with the agency to ensure this never happens again,” one of the union leaders assured.
