The Battle Against Fake Drugs: NAFDAC’s Crackdown on Ọgbọ Ọgwụ Market, Onitsha, Africa’s largest open drug market and the Call for Justice
By Daniel Okonkwo
The fight against counterfeit drugs in Nigeria has taken center stage again as the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) intensifies its enforcement operations at Ọgbọ Ọgwụ Market, Onitsha, Africa’s largest open drug market. The agency’s recent clampdown, which led to the confiscation of fake and expired drugs worth millions of naira, has sparked mixed reactions from stakeholders. While the fight against counterfeit pharmaceuticals is widely supported, concerns have emerged over alleged misconduct by security operatives and the economic implications of prolonged market closures.
Fake drugs are illicitly manufactured products designed to mimic genuine medications but often lack the necessary active ingredients, rendering them ineffective or, worse, harmful. According to Interpol, counterfeit drugs have been found to contain toxic substances such as mercury, arsenic, rat poison, and even cement. Some contain real pharmaceuticals but at dangerously low dosages, contributing to antimicrobial resistance—a growing global health threat.
In Nigeria, NAFDAC is responsible for regulating and controlling the importation, production, distribution, sale, and use of pharmaceuticals, food, cosmetics, medical devices, bottled water, and chemicals. The agency has been at the forefront of combating fake drugs, a fight notably championed by the late Dora Akunyili, former NAFDAC Director-General, who once described Ọgbọ Ọgwụ Market as “a den of criminals.”
On Monday, a team led by Martins Iluyomade, NAFDAC’s Director for the South East Zone, raided Ọgbọ Ọgwụ Market, confiscating large quantities of substandard, expired, banned, and repackaged drugs. Some dealers had been found repackaging counterfeit drugs into containers of well-known pharmaceutical brands to deceive the public. These actions, Iluyomade warned, pose life-threatening risks to consumers.
This marks the second major raid on the market, following the 2007 crackdown under Akunyili, which resulted in a total market shutdown. The latest operation has again led to the closure of the market, sparking economic concerns among traders.
Anambra State Governor Chukwuma Soludo has expressed his full support for NAFDAC’s war on fake drugs. However, his recent visit to Ọgbọ Ọgwụ was also aimed at understanding why adjacent markets, including the Plumbing Materials Market, were shut down alongside the drug market. The governor emphasized the need for transparency and fairness in handling the issue, ensuring that innocent traders are not unfairly punished.
Prominent legal practitioner Barrister Ifeanyi Ejiofor has publicly condemned the presence of counterfeit drugs in Nigeria, declaring full support for NAFDAC’s mission to eliminate fake pharmaceuticals. However, he cautioned against indiscriminate punishment and wrongful accusations.
Ejiofor stressed the importance of proper profiling of offenders, urging security agencies to distinguish between genuine traders and criminal elements. He cited the principle of justice articulated by English jurist William Blackstone:
> “It is better that ten guilty persons escape than that one innocent suffer.”
Ejiofor also raised alarm over reports of looting and misconduct by security operatives at Ọgbọ Ọgwụ Market. According to the International Society for Civil Liberties and Rule of Law (InterSociety), security agents allegedly stole goods worth hundreds of millions of naira during the raid. A petition addressing these concerns has been sent to NAFDAC’s Director-General, Governor Soludo, and other relevant authorities, but no official response has been issued.
There are growing concerns that the extended closure of Ọgbọ Ọgwụ Market and other adjoining markets could worsen Anambra’s security and economic situation. While a similar operation in Lagos was swiftly executed—allowing genuine traders to return to business without reports of shop break-ins—the Onitsha operation has raised issues of fairness and proportionality.
Ejiofor has urged NAFDAC to utilize available surveillance footage to identify actual culprits rather than imposing collective punishment. Additionally, he called for a full investigation into allegations of looting by security operatives, ensuring that those responsible are held accountable.
Addressing those involved in the sale of counterfeit drugs, Ejiofor issued a direct appeal:
> “Desist now! Your actions send thousands of innocent souls to their early graves. This is one of the most grievous crimes imaginable, deserving the harshest punishments under the law.”
While the battle against fake drugs must continue, it must be waged with fairness, transparency, and adherence to due process. Innocent traders should not suffer for the crimes of a few, and law enforcement agencies must operate within ethical and legal boundaries.
As Nigeria grapples with the challenge of counterfeit pharmaceuticals, NAFDAC’s mission remains critical. However, a balanced approach—one that punishes offenders while safeguarding the rights of law-abiding traders—is the only way to ensure sustainable progress in the fight against fake drugs.
The reopening of Ọgbọ Ọgwụ Market, under strict regulatory oversight, remains a necessary step towards restoring normalcy while keeping the pressure on counterfeiters.
The fight against fake drugs must be won, but justice must not become collateral damage. Daniel Okonkwo for Profile International Human Rights Advocate.
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