In what looks like a fightback after the Enugu zone of the National Agency for Foods, Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), carpeted the Eziukwu market in Aba as a base for the production of adulterated drugs, the management of the market has accused officials of the agency of fraternising with the said death merchants.
The association said its observation stemmed from the smear campaign mounted against those they believed to have exposed their nefarious activities to the authorities, by some of the fakers caught by the agency in December 2023 but who soon after returned to business bolder and more determined.
Addressing journalists in Aba, Interim Chairman of Eziukwu Road Market Traders Association, Aba, Chief Alphonsus Udeigbo, said that one year after the first raid and arrest of 14 traders allegedly involved in fake products manufacturing and faking new expiry dates on products, NAFDAC was yet to release the report on its findings.
The operation had led to temporary closure of the market during the last yuletide.
He urged the press to dig deep into the reason NAFDAC was yet to make public its findings with regard to the raid that made news all over the world.
Udeigbo, however, assured that the association had resolved  that there would be no more fake products or re-dating of expired products in the market.
He apologised to Nigerians on the activities of those engaging in the crime against humanity, calling them “killers” but absolved his management committee of any collaboration in their activities.
He appealed to the public to always cry out on noticing fake products being sold to them or their relations.
NAFDAC, early this month returned to the market for inspection where they caught many traders engaged in adulteration of products, especially wines, spirits, beverages, toothpastes among other household edibles, a situation that led to the sealing of lines 9, 13, and 15, where the business was more common.
