The South-East caucus of the House of Representatives has urged the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) to reopen the Onitsha Head Bridge Market in Anambra State.
Speaking at a press conference in Abuja, caucus leader Iduma Igariwey (PDP, Ebonyi) emphasised the need for legitimate traders to resume business while supporting NAFDAC’s efforts to combat counterfeit drugs.
He argued that closing the entire market harms innocent traders and medicine users, particularly in the South-East and South-South regions, where the market supplies over 90% of medication needs.
Recall that NAFDAC recently sealed over 4,000 shops in Onitsha, 3,027 in Lagos, and another 4,000 in Aba as part of its nationwide crackdown on fake and substandard medicines.
Igariwey described those involved in distributing counterfeit drugs as “death merchants” and called for their swift prosecution.
Additionally, the caucus called on the Nigeria Customs Service to tighten border security to prevent the influx of fake drugs into the country.