Irked by the alleged dealing in fake drugs by traders at Onitsha drug markets, Anambra State, the Executive National Secretary, National Association of Nigeria Drugs Monitoring, (NANDRUM), Dr. Mrs. Christabel Regan Okoye, State Commander, National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, Mrs. Florence Ezeonye and Commissioner for Health, Dr. Afam Obidike, Wednesday, stormed the markets.
Warning the drug dealers at the Onitsha Bridgehead drug market, and others to refrain from dealing in hard drugs or be arrested, and their wares impounded, Mrs Okoye, lamented the problems inherent in such dealing and admonished the executives of each market to assist in prevention of importation into the markets of fake drugs.
Warning them to shun the sell of hard drugs, she said that it has dare consequences both on them and the society at large.
Accompanied by the State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Afam Obidike, who was represented by Mr. Emmanuel Oguaju and Commander of NDLEA, Mrs. Florence Ezeonye, who also was represented by Mr. Fidelis Erhi, Mrs Okoye, reiterated that offenders would be made to face the wrath of the law.
Mrs Okoye, a consultant and Ambassador,, Joint Committee of Senate and House of Representatives, National Assembly complex, on Drugs and Narcotics, told the traders that her primary mission was not to arrest anybody for now but on familiarization purposes and to intimate the traders on the speculation making the round that they deal in hard drugs.
“The stories concerning Onitsha drug dealers are not palatable. The news everywhere is that Onitsha is a dumping site where fake drugs and hard drugs are produced and sold. Fake drugs and hard drugs are dangerous to health and for this reason, you people should desist from peddling them. No matter how much you make out from it, it has destroyed the society especially our youths.”
Mr. Gilbert Emebo, the Ogbaru Main market Drug Dealers’ chairman emeritus, and secretary emeritus, Evangelist Linus Onyejiaka, lauded Okoye for her visit and informed her that NAFDAC endorsed them as free counterfeit drug dealers, which they said, would always maintain, just as their incumbent chairman, Mr Chinedu Mmakwe, affirmed that NAFDAC endorsed them and they could not afford to destroy their credibility by encouraging fake and hard drugs.
Also speaking, the patron of Ochanja drug dealers, Dr. Chibuike Peter, explained that their members constituted taskforce and enforcement team that checkmates sales of fake drugs and hard drugs.
Contributing, Mr. Emmanuel Oguaju, who represented the Anambra State Commissioner for health, Dr. Afam Obidike, reminded the traders that they are stakeholders in the fight against fake drugs and drug abuse, stressing that the issue about drugs abuse has become alarming.
Similarly, Mr. Fidelis Erhi, who represented Commander, NDLEA, Mrs. Florence Ezeonye, listed tramadol, methamphetamine (Mkpulumili), India hemp and others, as hard drugs that were prohibited from being sold, warning that offenders are liable to prosecution.END.
