Traders at the Ogbo-Ogwu Bridgehead Drug Market in Onitsha, Anambra State, have protested the continued closure of their shops by the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control.
The traders, under the Concerned and Genuine Members of Ogbo-Ogwu Drug Market, gathered on Tuesday, carrying placards with messages such as “We are not merchants of death” and “NAFDAC, stop the intimidation now”.
They lamented that the two-month closure had caused financial hardship, led to the death of at least five traders, and left many others hospitalized due to depression and hunger.
Speaking during the protest to News Agency of Nigeria, the National Convener and Secretary, Chinedu Ifeacho, and co-convener, Emmanuel Ozoemenam, accused NAFDAC of illegally invading their shops and seizing over 60 trailer loads of genuine, registered drugs.
“NAFDAC invaded our shops in our absence and carted away properly registered goods worth billions of naira. The claim that all the drugs taken were fake is false and damaging to our reputation,” Ifeacho said.
Another trader, Prince Friday Osisi, said NAFDAC confiscated drugs from multinational companies in the United States, Germany, Turkey, and Pakistan, insisting they met international standards.
The traders called on the Federal Government to set up a panel to investigate the seized goods and verify the authenticity of NAFDAC’s claims.
“We challenge the Federal Government to investigate the over 60 trailer loads of drugs taken from our shops and expose any wrongdoing,” Ozoemenam added.
They also accused the caretaker committee of the market, led by Mr. Chukwuelota, of failing to protect traders’ interests and called for their immediate resignation.
The traders claimed that NAFDAC had imposed a fine of N2 million before reopening any shop, which they described as “criminal” and “unjust”.
“We reject the N2 million fine imposed on us and call on the Federal Ministry of Health, the National Assembly, and the National Security Adviser to intervene immediately,” a trader, Uchechukwu Ola, said.
The protesters demanded the immediate reopening of the market, saying their businesses were legitimate and law-abiding.
“We remain loyal to President Bola Tinubu and Governor Chukwuma Soludo, but we need our shops reopened. Many of us have lost everything due to this closure,” another trader pleaded.
The traders also urged the government to prosecute those found guilty of selling fake drugs, while allowing genuine business owners to continue their trade.
