The International Human Rights Commission (IHRC) has raised the alarm over the recent closure of a major pharmaceutical market in Onitsha, Anambra State, by the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), urging calm amidst growing unrest among traders and local residents.
The shutdown, part of a nationwide enforcement campaign conducted by NAFDAC between February 9 and March 27, 2025, targeted three key open drug markets, Idumota in Lagos, Ariaria in Aba, and Onitsha in Anambra. NAFDAC’s operation led to the seizure and destruction of substandard, falsified, and expired medical products valued at over ₦1 trillion.
According to the agency, many of the affected warehouses and outlets violated national laws by operating without registration from the Pharmacy Council of Nigeria (PCN) and failing to meet Good Storage and Distribution Practice (GSDP) standards.
Responding to the unfolding situation, IHRC’s Country Representative, Amb. Dr. Duru Hezekiah, issued a public statement and urged all stakeholders to remain calm and to avoid actions that could trigger a breakdown of law and order.
While acknowledging NAFDAC’s legal mandate to safeguard public health, the IHRC emphasized that such enforcement must uphold the principles of fairness, due process, and human dignity, especially where people’s livelihoods are affected.
