Intersociety Calls For Re-Opening Of Onitsha Drug Market

The International Society for Civil Liberties and Rule of Law (Intersociety) has called on the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) to re-open the Onitsha drug market which was shut down on the 9th of February 2025.

In a statement made available to Journalists in Enugu on Tuesday by the board chairman of Intersociety, Emeka Umeagbalasi, enjoined NAFDAC to send its hired soldiers of the Nigerian Army out of the Onitsha Drug Market.

He also called for immediate re-opening of the affected markets and refunding of not less than N20billion being loses incurred by the innocent traders of the six affected markets since Sunday, February 9, 2025, particularly traders of the Onitsha Drug Market.

Umeagbalasi said “We at the International Society for Civil Liberties and Rule of Law (Intersociety) hereby strongly condemn the total shutdown and militarization since Sunday, February 9, 2025, of the Onitsha Drug Market, the largest open drug market in Nigeria; shutdown and militarized alongside those of Idumota in Lagos and Ariaria in Aba, Abia State.

“The NAFDAC-hired soldiers of the Nigerian Army under the coordination of Commandant of the Onitsha 302 Artillery Regiment had on the said date invaded the crowded market and five adjoining others; namely: Oduwani part of the Carpentry Tools (Power Tools and Allied) Market, the Surgical Line Market, the Plumbing Materials Market, the Ogbogwu Fashion Line Market, the Bridgehead Provision Market and part of the Timber Dealers Market.

“The above-named markets were shut down and taken over by soldiers of the Nigerian Army and their NAFDAC hirers-during which the NAFDAC field officials and leaders of the hired soldiers forced leaders of the affected markets to surrender the keys of their gates and lines and took possession of them till date.

“Since then, it is not only that traders of the affected Onitsha Drug Market have incurred billions of naira loses amounting to not less than N20billion, but have also been starved, threatened and forced out of their legitimate businesses. The worst of it all is that traders and leaders of the five unaffected markets have permanently been shut out and denied access to their shops and legitimate livelihoods.

“While we are not against sanitization exercise by NAFDAC geared towards ridding the country of fake and adulterated drugs and stamping out their dealers and manufacturers, we strongly condemn the militarist approach adopted; and corruptive attitude of the authorities of the NAFDAC particularly the way and manner the Onitsha Drug Market and five adjoining others that have nothing whatsoever to do with fake and adulterated drugs were invaded, shut down and put under lock and key since Feb 9, 2025.

“The Executive Governor of Anambra State, Prof Charles Soludo, is hereby called upon to wade into the matter and facilitate speedy re-opening of the Onitsha Drug Market and five adjoining others.

“NAFDAC is further advised to go after fake and illicit drug kingpins responsible and leave innocent others alone who constitute over 95% of the entire Market’s traders,” he said