NAFDAC JUSTIFIES CRACKDOWN ON ONITSHA TRADERS, INSISTS CHARGES LAWFUL
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By: Sefiu Ajape
The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has dismissed allegations of extortion and arbitrary sanctions following its large-scale crackdown on drug markets, stating that all charges brought against traders were legally grounded and backed by federal regulations.
Speaking at a press briefing in Lagos on Friday, NAFDAC Director General, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, emphasized that the agency operated fully within the bounds of Nigerian law during its high-profile enforcement actions conducted between February 9 and March 27, 2025, targeting three major open drug markets: Idumota (Lagos), Ariaria (Aba), and Bridge Head (Onitsha).
“Let it be made abundantly clear: every charge imposed was in line with federal regulations and duly gazetted by the governmen.
“There was no witch-hunt, no arbitrary enforcement. These were consequences of clear violations of public health laws,” Prof Adeyeye said.
NAFDAC had sealed shops, warehouses, and distribution points found to be selling unregistered, expired, banned, and falsified narcotics, some of which had been diverted from donation programmes.
The Agency reported the removal of over N1tn worth of dangerous drugs from circulation.
“We cannot allow a system where people peddle poisons in the name of medicine.
“Our actions were not only lawful, they were absolutely necessary to save lives,” she stressed.
“To regularise their operations, violators were issued investigative charges, including N5m for the sale of unregistered products (reduced to N200,000 after appeals), and
N2m for breach of Good Storage and Distribution Practices (reduced to ₦500,000).
“These fines were not invented by NAFDAC overnight.
“They are rooted in official policy. The reductions were granted in good faith after careful consideration of appeals. This is a system based on fairness and legality.”
She added that following the operation, the Ogbogwu market in Onitsha was officially reopened on 9th March 2025, and over 2,500 traders with 3,500 shops who complied with NAFDAC’s conditions had resumed full activity.
“Let it be known: there is unconditional reopening for those who comply with our regulations.
“We are not shutting businesses down permanently, we are restructuring the system for safety and accountability,” she said.
The Ogbogwu market, notoriously dubbed the epicentre of counterfeit pharmaceuticals in West Africa, had been under NAFDAC’s radar for years.
Adeyeye noted that the Agency could no longer “turn a blind eye” to the widespread circulation of lethal drugs, which have contributed to countless avoidable deaths.
“Fake antihypertensives, expired antibiotics, and illegal narcotics have no place in our healthcare system.
“We will continue to root them out market by market, warehouse by warehouse, until Nigeria is free of killer drugs.”
Adeyeye reaffirmed NAFDAC’s commitment to ensuring the safety, efficacy, and quality of all medical products used by Nigerians and pledged to sustain surveillance and enforcement across the country.
“This is about saving lives. We cannot afford to lose more pregnant women, children, or chronically ill patients to counterfeit medicine. This is our mandate, and we will not relent.”
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