NAFDAC has uncovered rifles, live cartridges, and other weapons hidden at the Ogbo Ogwu Bridge Head Market in Onitsha, Anambra. Officials suspect fake drug dealers planned to attack operatives. The agency also seized 50 trailer loads of counterfeit drugs and arrested suspects attempting to recover illegal products.
The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has uncovered weapons, including rifles and live cartridges, at the Ogbo Ogwu Bridge Head Market in Onitsha, Anambra. According to NAFDAC’s South-East Zonal Director, Martins Iluyomade, the discovery was made during an ongoing crackdown on counterfeit and substandard drugs in the market.
Iluyomade revealed that since February 10, NAFDAC has been conducting enforcement operations to curb the sale of fake medicines. He expressed concern that the hidden weapons were likely intended for an attack on the agency’s operatives by dealers involved in illicit drug sales. Authorities also confiscated 50 trailer loads of counterfeit drugs, which have been sent for further analysis.
Security personnel intervened to recover various weapons, including a dagger, machetes, two rifles, and live ammunition. Iluyomade further disclosed that arrests have been made, with suspects providing critical information regarding illegal activities in the market.
Despite the threats, NAFDAC received support from market leaders, ensuring smooth enforcement efforts. Iluyomade assured that parts of the market would soon reopen, while the agency continues its investigation and crackdown on counterfeit drug distribution.
