A storm of controversy is brewing over the ongoing closure of the Onitsha drug market, as federal lawmaker, Hon. Afam Ogene, has accused the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) of extortion through the alleged imposition of a N700,000 levy on affected traders.
Ogene, who represents Ogbaru Federal Constituency under the Labour Party, in a strongly worded statement on Tuesday, described the development as “scandalous, outrageous, and reprehensible,” saying the agency’s actions risk undermining its credibility and derailing the fight against counterfeit drugs.
According to the lawmaker, “documented evidence” indicates that over 1,000 shop owners in the market have been coerced into paying the hefty sum to regain access to their locked-up shops—months after NAFDAC shut down the market in a bid to clamp down on illicit drug sales.
“What exactly is this money for?” Ogene queried. “If it is meant as a fee to access shops, does it then mean that those guilty of drug counterfeiting are exonerated by simply paying this amount? How does this make sense to the thousands of innocent business owners who are now bearing the brunt of collective punishment?”
The House of Representatives had, in a motion passed in February, cautioned NAFDAC to ensure its regulatory operations do not result in the blanket victimisation of legitimate businesses.
Ogene now questions the agency’s compliance with that directive, accusing NAFDAC of acting with “impunity and disregard for due process.”
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He further called attention to the “unjust” nature of the levy, which, he argued, punishes all traders regardless of their culpability in the alleged sale of fake drugs.
“NAFDAC’s inability to isolate and prosecute actual offenders, but instead impose blanket penalties on every trader, reveals a deep flaw in its operational logic,” he stated.
The lawmaker has now demanded urgent intervention, warning that NAFDAC’s conduct risks setting a dangerous precedent and alienating the very stakeholders needed in the collective fight against drug counterfeiting.
“NAFDAC must halt this unethical practice immediately and work towards a transparent and just resolution that preserves public trust, upholds justice, and restores credibility to its operations,” Ogene said.
The agency is yet to respond to the allegations as traders in the affected market continue to groan under the weight of the financial burden.