Officials of Nigeria’s National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) were attacked by armed youths at Igbudu Market in Warri, Delta State, on Friday, interrupting an inspection targeting shops suspected of dealing in counterfeit medicines.
The agency’s team had entered the market to examine businesses accused of selling fake pharmaceuticals, but local youths reportedly blocked the operation and stopped the officials from completing their work.
Reports said the group maintained that security personnel could not enter their community to make arrests without receiving its approval.
The confrontation reportedly turned violent and heightened tension across the Igbudu Market area. It was not immediately known whether any NAFDAC personnel were injured.
Kelvin Ejumudo, Senior Special Assistant on Human Rights to the Delta State Governor, called on relevant security authorities to arrest both the market chairman and the Igbudu Market union chairman, saying swift action was needed to halt further obstruction of NAFDAC operations.
“We are all raising concerns about the rising prevalence of counterfeit goods and consumables, as well as increasing cases of kidney failure, yet people are preventing NAFDAC from inspecting the market,” Ejumudo said.
He said the Delta State Government would not tolerate such conduct, regardless of the status of those involved. “We will return to the market, and then we will see who attempts to stop NAFDAC again,” he said.
Ejumudo added that all citizens have a responsibility in national development, particularly in efforts to eliminate counterfeit drugs from the country.
