Onitsha Drug Market Traders Sue NAFDAC Over Market Closure, Seek ₦100 Billion Compensation

Traders at Onitsha’s drug market have sued NAFDAC and other agencies over a forceful shutdown.

They seek ₦100 billion in damages, alleging rights violations and unlawful enforcement actions.

Traders at the Onitsha drug market in Anambra State have taken legal action against the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) and other federal agencies over the controversial sealing of their market.

The lawsuit, filed under Suit No. FHC/AWK/CS/53/2025 is currently before the Federal High Court in Awka and is led by renowned legal expert E.J. Ezenwa (SAN), alongside a team of distinguished lawyers.

The applicants in the case, Peter Okala and three others, are representing affected shop owners whose businesses were shut down on February 9, 2025, when NAFDAC, backed by the Nigerian Army, Police Force, Standards Organization of Nigeria (SON), and other agencies, conducted a sweeping enforcement operation at the popular drug market.

According to the court filings, the traders are seeking several reliefs, including a perpetual injunction to restrain NAFDAC and its collaborators from further sealing off the market without proper judicial oversight. They are also asking the court to declare the closure of the market unlawful and unconstitutional, citing the lack of a valid court order or search warrant authorizing the action.

Among the key complaints raised in the originating summons is the alleged extortion of over ₦700,000 from each shop owner as a precondition for reopening their stores. The traders are urging the court to halt such demands, which they claim were made without any legal backing.

The plaintiffs further demand ₦100 billion in special and general damages, arguing that the enforcement action resulted in massive losses from seized goods, emotional distress, and the deaths of at least seven shop owners, including the third applicant in the suit. They also claim that over 3,000 traders were coerced into paying into a NAFDAC-designated account labelled the “Onitsha Project Account.”

In an affidavit deposed to by Mr. Okala on behalf of the other applicants, it was revealed that NAFDAC officials, accompanied by military and police personnel, forcefully entered over 5,000 shops at the market and removed goods allegedly worth over ₦100 billion without the presence or consent of the owners. The confiscated items were reportedly transported to an undisclosed location.

The affidavit further stated that the enforcement action lacked transparency and failed to achieve its stated goal of combating counterfeit or adulterated drugs. According to the applicants, no individual or group has been arrested or prosecuted since the crackdown, raising concerns that the operation was less about regulation and more about intimidation and exploitation.

The traders maintain that they support lawful efforts to rid the market of fake drugs but insist that such actions must be carried out within the framework of the law, with proper judicial warrants and due process. They emphasized that the market, known to be one of the largest pharmaceutical trade hubs in West Africa, has suffered massive economic and humanitarian setbacks as a result of the ongoing shutdown.

The suit has garnered public attention, especially among human rights advocates and civil society groups, many of whom are now closely monitoring the legal proceedings. The case is expected to test the limits of regulatory power in Nigeria and address questions surrounding the accountability of enforcement agencies when their operations allegedly violate constitutional rights.

As the matter unfolds in court, traders are hopeful that the judiciary will provide redress, restore their businesses, and hold accountable those responsible for what they describe as a gross abuse of power and economic sabotage. The next hearing date is expected to be set in the coming weeks.