HURIDE condemns NAFDAC over alleged extortion of N3.5bn in Onitsha Drug Market Traders

Our Reporter

Human Rights Liberty Access and Peace Defenders’Foundation (HURIDE) and Campaign for Democracy (CD), South East Zone have unequivocally condemned the exploitative and extortionist tendencies of the National Agency for Drugs Administration and Control ( NAFDAC) in Onitsha Anambra State.

In a press statement issued in Enugu State signed by the Executive Director of HURIDE and Chairman of Campaign for Democracy (CD), High Chief Dede Uzor A Uzor, the rights groups said the extortion of N700,000 per individual trader in the name of penalty charge against traders at Onitsha Drug Market was a clear case of extortion and ethnic victimization.

NAFDAC on March 6th,2025, at Onitsha Drug market with combined security operatives of the Nigerian Army, the DSS and the Nigerian Police and other security forces invaded the market and clamped down on it to impound and confiscate unwholesome and adulterated drugs.

The groups said that they don’t support any form of adulteration, fake and substandard drugs because according to them, “drug fakers are more dangerous than armed robbers”

According to the group: “an armed robber will target his victim but a faker targets the entire world if allowed to operate”?

But they contended that NAFDAC was not clean in its operation, saying that they did not consider the health of some citizens whose lives depended on some potent saving drugs from the United Kingdom (UK), the United States of America (USA) and other advanced countries whose drugs haven’t been registered with NAFDAC because of the bureaucratic bottleneck and the huge amount being demanded by the agency before such drugs would be registered.

Unfortunately, according to the rights groups, these drugs amounting to about over N1.5 trillion were said to have been impounded by NAFDAC.

They asked NAFDAC to as a matter of urgency return all the monies collected from traders in the name of penalty fees before such shops would be reopened.

CD/HURIDE called on the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) to immediately commence a discreet investigation into the financial dealings of NAFDAC officials during and after the clampdown, especially monies that accrued via payment by defenseless and innocent traders running into billions of naira.

“We are calling on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu (BAT) to set up a special investigative team led by a retired Judge of the Supreme Court to unravel NAFDAC’s financial dealing in the last 20 years,” said the group.

The rights groups equally urged the Federal Government to support the Anambra State government in her efforts to establish an International standard drug market (ISDM) at Oba in the Idemili South Local Government Area of the State which its construction is ongoing.

They said by now NAFDAC should have known and arrested sizeable numbers of those who are dealing with fake drugs and prosecuted them, wondering why they should impose a fine of N700,000 per individual shop with a single individual being indicted.

“Does payment amount to the legalization of fake drugs if such payments are made? Does it mean that everyone in the market was involved in dealing with fake and unwholesome drugs”?

We shall support the ongoing 7-day plan with the likes minds, Civil society groups, Opinion leaders, stakeholders and cooperating organizations on the ongoing plans to engage in a massive protest that would shake the foundation for Nigeria.

“We call on President Bola Tinubu to immediately order the arrest and prosecution of South East and South-South NAFDAC zonal officer based in Enugu for alleged official corruption and gross misconduct and his alleged criminal display in payment of N700.000 per individual shop,” Uzor advised.

When the newspaper contacted the agency’s Public Relations Officer, Ms. Christiana Obiazikwor, she promised to get back to and until the time of filing, she was not.