The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control has reopened shops belonging to traders found innocent after its recent crackdown on counterfeit and substandard drugs in markets across Abia State.
According to The PUNCH, the South-East Zonal Director of NAFDAC, Martins Iluyomade, made the announcement following an appeal from the Abia State government.
He clarified that only traders with no links to the sale of fake medicines would be allowed to resume business, while those implicated would be prosecuted.
“We are reopening shops of those who have been cleared of any wrongdoing. However, those found dealing in illicit drugs must face the full weight of the law before they can regain access to their premises,” Iluyomade stated.
He reiterated the agency’s commitment to sanitizing the pharmaceutical sector and ensuring public safety.
Representatives from key markets, including Eziukwu Market, Ariaria International Market, Ekumi Plaza, and Tenant Road Medicine Dealers, participated in the discussions leading to the reopening.
Expressing appreciation for the intervention, the Pioneer Chairman of Eziukwu Market, Mike Okoro, and the current Chairman, Oba Ibe, assured NAFDAC of their support in eliminating counterfeit drugs.
Meanwhile, the Chief Press Secretary to Abia State Governor Alex Otti, Ukoha Njoku-Ukoha, affirmed that the state was intensifying its efforts to enforce stringent measures against illegal pharmaceutical trade.
“Abia State will not serve as a breeding ground for fake drug peddlers. We are committed to working closely with NAFDAC to safeguard public health,” he emphasized.
Amid the developments in Abia, pan-Yoruba socio-political group Afenifere has called on the Federal Government to enhance security for NAFDAC’s Director-General, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, following threats to her life.
Adeyeye had earlier raised alarm over attempts by criminal syndicates to silence her after the agency seized counterfeit drugs worth over ₦1 trillion.
She labeled the perpetrators as “merchants of death” who pose a grave threat to public safety and renewed her call for severe penalties, including the death sentence, for those involved in the trade of fake drugs.
Afenifere, in a statement signed by its Organizing Secretary, Chief Kole Omololu, condemned the threats, describing them as an attack on national security.
“She left a successful international career to serve Nigeria. The least she deserves is protection from those who wish to harm her,” the statement read.
The group urged President Bola Tinubu to ensure Adeyeye and her operatives receive top-tier security, including armored vehicles and elite protection.
“If criminals sense that the government will not shield its key officials, impunity will thrive. Nigeria must stand by those risking their lives for the common good,” Afenifere stressed.
