The Anambra State Government has called for a peaceful resolution to the ongoing dispute between the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) and traders at the Ogbo-Ogwu Drug Market in Onitsha over the market’s prolonged partial closure.
The market was shut down on February 15, 2025, by NAFDAC operatives led by the agency’s South-East Director, Martins Iluyomade, following the seizure of over 10 truckloads of counterfeit pharmaceutical products valued at over N1 trillion. These were subsequently destroyed at the ASWAMA dump site in Awka.
The enforcement action has since sparked controversy, with aggrieved traders accusing the agency of imposing arbitrary fines of N700,000 per shop before reopening. According to the United Nigeria Group, which represents affected traders, more than 1,000 shop owners have already paid the fee under protest. The group has since taken legal action, filing a suit at the Federal High Court in Awka to enforce their fundamental rights and seek the reopening of the market.
NAFDAC, however, has denied any wrongdoing, maintaining that all sanctions and investigative charges are legal, properly documented, and in line with federal regulations.
In a bid to de-escalate tensions, the Anambra State Commissioner for Information, Dr. Law Mefor, on Saturday urged both parties to embrace dialogue. He revealed that the state government had been in active talks with NAFDAC’s regional leadership to resolve the matter amicably.
“The government wants all the shops speedily reopened and therefore appeals to both NAFDAC and affected traders to cooperate to make the exercise seamless and end it forthwith,” Mefor told PUNCH Online.
He clarified that only about 5% of shops remain locked as of March 7, 2025, with the majority already reopened. He also acknowledged that some traders have gone into hiding to avoid being profiled by the agency due to the fines.
Mefor further appealed to NAFDAC to show leniency if the fines were lawful, and encouraged traders to follow due legal processes if otherwise. He reassured stakeholders that the government is working on relocating the market to a better-equipped central drug hub in Oba, which would address issues related to substandard storage and regulation.
As tensions continue, the state government’s intervention aims to strike a balance between public health enforcement and the economic realities of affected traders, while ensuring that drug distribution in the state complies with national standards.
