Reopen Onitsha drug market, stop extorting traders, Senator Nwoye tells NAFDAC

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By Madu Obi

Senator Tony Nwoye representing Anambra North Senatorial District, has strongly condemned the continued closure and alleged extortion of traders at Ogbo Ogwu Market, Onitsha, following the controversial sealing of over 5,000 shops in the market by officials of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC).

Senator Nwoye, in a strongly worded statement, described the situation as a “clear case of regulatory overreach” and called for urgent intervention by both the Federal and Anambra State governments to address what he termed “gross injustice.”

The closure of the market, which began in February 2025 after NAFDAC raid on the popular drug market, has left thousands of shop owners unable to access their businesses.

While the agency initially alleged that some traders were dealing in counterfeit medicines, Senator Nwoye noted that the punitive measures extended far beyond the pharmaceutical sector.

“The entire market, including traders dealing in non-pharmaceutical items such as paints, plumbing materials, and accessories, were unjustly shut down,” he said, suggesting that "traders found culpable in dealing with fake and contraband drugs in the market should be punished, rather than blanket punishment."

He recalled visiting the market shortly after the raid, alongside former Anambra State Governor and 2023 Labour Party presidential candidate, Mr. Peter Obi, and other federal and state lawmakers, adding that during that visit, the lawmakers met with affected traders and observed the impact of the closure on the economic life of the area.

He further criticized NAFDAC’s imposition of a blanket penalty of ₦500,000 per shop, which was later raised to ₦700,000, as a condition for reopening the market, describing the demand as “exploitative” and without legal justification.

"Over 1,000 shop owners have paid the imposed fee, while thousands of others remain unable to comply due to financial constraints.

To punish over 5,000 traders indiscriminately without due process is to violate both the spirit and letter of the law. This is not regulation, it is economic persecution.

Ogbo Ogwu Market must be reopened without further delay. I stand in solidarity with the traders and will continue to use all legislative and legal means to press for justice,” Senator Nwoye said.

He questioned why no other market in Nigeria has faced such mass penalization and demanded the immediate refund of monies already collected from innocent traders.

He also appeal to Anambra State Governor, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo, to intervene further on the issue and urged relevant authorities to ensure that regulatory actions in Nigeria remain fair, transparent, and legally sound, without compromising the economic stability of law-abiding citizens.