Onitsha drug market traders head for court over NAFDAC’s enforcement
Hope rises for the Onitsha drug market traders in Anambra State as eminent lawyer E.J. Ezenwa SAN will be leading other eminent counsel in suit No FHC AWK/ CS 53/2025 against sealing of the market by the National Agency for Food, Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC).
The Applicants, Peter Okala and 3 Ors have dragged NAFDAC D G and 6 Ors including; Chief of Army staff, IGP; SON and others before the Federal High Court siting at Awka over the sealing of the entire drug market since Feb. 9, 2025.
The applicants are praying the Court for an Order against the extortion of N700,000 and above from each shop owners before unsealing any shop by NAFDAC.
The Applicants had in their Originating Summons prayed the the Court for an Order of Perpetual injunction restraining NAFDAC and others from further closure of the market
An order for the payment of N100,000,000 as special and general damages for the illegal sealing of the drug market without any valid Court order or search warrant.
Order of court for NAFDAC to return back to the traders all the truck load of goods/ properties worth over N100 billion naira confiscated and/or seized from the traders shops in their absence
In an Affidavit setting out the facts upon which the suit is brought and sworn to by Okala for and on behalf of three others, among others that NAFDAC and other respondents including the Police, the Army, SON sealed up the entire drug market since Feb .9, 2025 without any valid court order or search warrant.
They added that NAFDAC and the other respondents broke into shops belonging to members of Unit Nigeria Group (UNG) in their absence without any valid Court order or search warrant and carted away several billions of naira worth of drugs and goods to an unknown location.
That drug market, Onitsha has over 5,000 shops and that over 3,000 shop owners have paid into the designated account of NAFDAC tagged “Onitsha project Account”
The activities of the respondents have caused the death of over seven shop owners including the 3rd Applicant on record.
That since the operation of the respondents at drug market, Onitsha, no single individual or group have been arrested or prosecuted by NAFDAC for dealing in fake and adulterated drugs, among others.
