Lawyer calls for investigation over alleged looting of shops in Onitsha by NAFDAC
By Nwabueze Okonkwo
A human rights lawyer, Sir Ifeanyi Ejiofor Esq. (KSC), has said that he was deeply saddened by the viral video showing a female trader alleging that her shop was completely looted by officials of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) during their month-long mop-up exercise at the Onitsha Bridgehead drug market.
He said this alarming footage exposes a grave injustice that demands urgent action in terms of discreet investigations, justice and adequate compensation for the shop owners who are the direct victims.
In a press statement issued yesterday, Ejiofor, the leading counsel to the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPoB, declared: “I strongly condemn the indiscriminate closure of Ogbo Ogwu market and other adjoining markets at Onitsha Bridgehead by NAFDAC under the guise of combating fake and counterfeit drugs.”
“While the fight against fake pharmaceuticals is crucial, it must be carried out through lawful and ethical means that do not jeopardize the livelihoods of innocent traders. Unfortunately, our worst fears have now materialized”.
“In my previous public statement, I urged security agencies and NAFDAC to investigate their personnel implicated in these allegations. However, despite the gravity of the situation, no action has been taken.
This latest evidence — captured on video — clearly exposes officials entrusted with regulatory enforcement, allegedly engaging in outright looting, betraying public trust”.
“The heart-wrenching testimony of this devastated trader is both troubling and unacceptable.
Disturbingly, information available to us confirms that this innocent woman is currently receiving medical care at an undisclosed hospital after suffering severe shock from this traumatic incident. This is not just an economic assault but a direct attack on her dignity and well-being”.
I, therefore, call upon the relevant security agencies to conduct a swift, transparent, and comprehensive investigation to identify and hold accountable those responsible for this reprehensible act. NAFDAC must urgently assess and provide commensurate reparations for this devastating loss, ensuring that justice is served and felt by the victims”.
“Justice delayed is justice denied. Immediate disciplinary and legal measures must be enforced to restore public confidence in our institutions”.
Such misconduct has no place in a society striving for justice, peace, and economic stability. The livelihoods of hardworking citizens must be protected, and those who abuse their positions of trust must face the full weight of the law”.
“If we fail to act decisively, we risk enabling a culture of impunity that will only deepen public distrust in our institutions.”
Vanguard News
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