Traders at the Ogbo Ogwu Bridgehead Drug Market in Onitsha, Anambra State, took to the streets on Tuesday to protest the prolonged closure of their shops by the National Agency for Food, Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC).
The aggrieved traders also rejected the alleged N2 million fine imposed by NAFDAC for the reopening of shops at the market, Vanguard reports.
The market has remained closed for two months, reportedly resulting in economic hardship, financial burdens, and reported deaths among traders.
Under the banner of the Concerned and Genuine Members of Ogbo-Ogwu Drug Market, the aggrieved traders decried what they described as the continued lockdown.
They said that it has led to severe hardship, with at least five members reportedly dead due to stress, depression, and hunger, while many others have been hospitalised.
The protesters, who were in their hundreds, displayed placards with various messages such as “Trouble is too much for us,” “We are not merchants of death,” “We are saving lives,” and “NAFDAC, stop the intimidation now.”
They marched from the Oshogbo Motor Park to the River Niger Bridge and back to Uga Junction, demanding immediate intervention from the Federal Government.
Speaking to journalists during the protest, the National Convener/ Secretary of the group, Chinedu Ifeacho, alongside co-convener Emmanuel Ozoemenam, challenged claims by NAFDAC that the market had been reopened.
They insisted their shops remained locked and accused the agency of looting and unlawfully seizing registered pharmaceutical products worth billions of naira.
We urge the Federal Government to intervene and investigate the alleged seizure of fake drugs.
“NAFDAC officials illegally broke into our shops in our absence and carted away over 60 trailer loads of genuine, registered drugs,” Ifeacho stated.
Some affected traders, including one Prince Friday Osisi and one Stephen Enebo, further alleged that NAFDAC confiscated high-quality drugs manufactured by multinational pharmaceutical companies from the USA, Germany, Turkey, and Pakistan.
They dismissed NAFDAC’s claims of fake and substandard drugs as “malicious lies” aimed at tarnishing the market’s reputation.
The traders demanded a high-powered investigative panel to ex- amine the confiscated drugs and NAFDAC’s actions, the immediate and unconditional reopening of the market, prosecution of individuals found in possession of fake or substandard drugs, and the removal of the current caretaker committee led by Chukwuelota, citing inefficiency in representing the traders’ interests.
They also passed a vote of no confidence on the caretaker committee chairman and his executive, calling for their immediate resignation.
Many traders expressed distress over the prolonged closure, with some claiming they could no longer provide for their families.
“It’s been two months since our market was sealed, and we have been struggling to survive,” said a trader, Uchechukwu Ola.
Uchechukwu added, “We want the government to reopen the market; we deal in genuine products, and NAFDAC’s claims are false.”
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