NAFDAC Discovers Weapons At Onitsha Market, Evacuate 50 Trailer Loads Of Fake Drugs

The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has declared that some individuals hid dangerous weapons at the Ogbo Ogwu Bridge Head Market in Onitsha, Anambra, which they intended to use to attack its officials.

The allegation was made by NAFDAC’s southeast zonal director, Martins Iluyomade, while addressing newsmen on Wednesday.

According to him, some of the weapons discovered by the security team working with NAFDAC include rifles, live cartridges, and other weapons hidden by unknown persons at the market.

Iluyomade said the weapons were hidden by fake drug dealers with the intention to attack the agency’s enforcement team which have been carrying out a crackdown on the drug sections of the market since February 10 as part of an ongoing nationwide campaign to strengthen public health.

He added that so far, 50 trailer loads of counterfeit and substandard drugs have been discovered in the market and have been moved to the agency’s laboratories for further tests.

“With the prompt interventions of our security team, we saw and recovered a dagger, machetes, two guns, rifles, and live cartridges.

“Every night, we keep arresting people who attempt to forcefully break into the shops to move the fake drugs or do one thing or another in this market.

“They are in custody and volunteering useful information,” he said.

Market Reopening

Iluyomade assured that some sections of the market would be reopened this week while they begin the next phase of the exercise.

He also commended leaders of the market for cooperating with NAFDAC throughout the period of the operations.