The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has uncovered a large cache of prohibited drugs at the Onitsha Bridgehead drug market in Anambra State.
NAFDAC made this discovery during a raid and shared a video of the operation on its official X account. The agency revealed that the banned substances were hidden inside plumbing material shops, a tactic likely used to evade detection.
During the raid, officials seized two trailer loads of unregistered narcotics, banned tramadol, and counterfeit drugs.
In a post on social media, the agency stated: “In a startling discovery, NAFDAC uncovered prohibited drugs hidden inside PLUMBING MATERIALS SHOPS at the Onitsha Bridgehead Drug Market. Officials seized two trailer loads of unregistered narcotics, banned tramadol, and counterfeit drugs concealed within these shops.”
This development follows ongoing security operations in Onitsha, where authorities have shut down six major markets for over two weeks. Traders in the affected areas have been struggling with financial losses due to the closures.
Security operatives had locked up the markets as part of efforts to clamp down on the sale of fake and expired drugs. The affected markets include the Onitsha drug market, Oduwani (Power Tools and Allied) market, Surgical Line market, Plumbing Materials market, Ogbogwu fashion line market, Bridgehead provision market, and part of the timber dealers’ market.
The crackdown aims to remove dangerous and unapproved drugs from circulation, ensuring public safety. However, the closure of these markets has sparked concerns among traders, many of whom claim they have lost their means of livelihood. Some have called for a more targeted approach to avoid harming legitimate businesses.
NAFDAC has continued to warn against the dangers of counterfeit and unregistered drugs, urging Nigerians to be cautious about where they purchase medications. The agency has vowed to keep up its enforcement efforts to protect public health and prevent the circulation of harmful substances.
