The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has officially reopened the Onitsha Drug Market and surrounding markets after nearly a month of closure. The decision was announced by the agency’s South-East Zonal Director, Mr. Martins Iluyomade, following a meeting with officials from the Anambra State government and market union leaders. He confirmed that businesses would resume operations on Friday.
Several markets, including the plumbing materials market, timber market, surgical materials market, and science laboratory materials market, were shut down last month as part of NAFDAC’s crackdown on illegal drugs. The agency discovered large quantities of fake and substandard medicines in these locations, leading to their temporary closure.
Speaking to government officials and market leaders, Iluyomade explained the agency’s actions. He noted that the issue extended beyond the main drug market, Ogbogwu, affecting several other markets in the area. He also addressed concerns about why non-drug markets were included in the closure, stating that fake and unregistered drugs were found in all affected markets.
“We were here last year for an operation, but our men were beaten, and even an officer of the Federal Republic was stripped naked for doing his legitimate duty. We had to lock up everywhere because, if we hadn’t, there would have been collateral damage. This is a major drug market, and if something goes wrong here, drug supplies all over the country will be contaminated,” Iluyomade stated.
He noted that the agency confiscated over 50 trailers loaded with fake and substandard drugs. Additionally, many more were found hidden in warehouses around the city, and NAFDAC is actively working to seize them. The volume of narcotics uncovered was described as alarming, with Iluyomade warning that such substances contribute to insecurity and lawlessness.
He further noted that some individuals deliberately import unregistered drugs in bulk, repackaging them with fake labels for sale. Shockingly, some of these medicines had been banned since 2007 due to their harmful effects, including links to cancer, yet they were still being sold in the market.
Another major issue identified was the improper storage of even legitimate medicines. Iluyomade explained that several storage facilities lacked ventilation, which caused some drugs to lose their effectiveness and become dangerous long before their expiration dates.
“Drug storage is also a problem. There is no ventilation in any of the storage facilities we visited. Medicines are supposed to be kept under specific conditions to maintain their effectiveness. Medicines are chemicals, and even those selling registered original medicines have had them expire long before their expiry dates,” he noted.
He cited an example where a drug meant for women in labor was found stored in extreme heat in a plumbing materials market, despite its packaging instructions requiring it to be kept between 2-8 degrees Celsius.
NAFDAC has also issued notices to certain shop owners, requiring them to report to the agency’s office before reopening their businesses. Although the market will officially reopen on Friday, approximately 4,000 shops will remain sealed until their owners provide explanations regarding the drugs found inside.
Market union leaders expressed relief over the reopening and pledged to cooperate with NAFDAC in identifying those who continue to deal in illegal drugs. Iluyomade warned that if such activities persist, the agency will not hesitate to shut down the market again. He also emphasized that any attack on NAFDAC officials in the future would lead to another market closure.
