A rights group, the International Society for Civil Liberties and Rule of Law (Intersociety), yesterday called for an urgent legislative public hearing and Judicial Commission of Inquiry into the continued closure of the Onitsha Drug Market. 
 
This is coming 47 days after the drug market was shut down for allegedly dealing in illicit drugs by the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC).
  
The closure of the market entered its 47th day yesterday after it was shut down on February 9 this year. In a statement, Intersociety stated the public hearing would enable the government to hear the voices of genuine drug traders and ascertain losses incurred during the invasion of their shops in their absence with billions of naira drugs confiscated.
  
The statement signed by the Chairman of Intersociety, Emeka Umeagbalasi, also stated that the public hearing would unmask operational illegalities of NAFDAC and its deployed soldiers, as well as police personnel to the market, adding that the continued closure of the market is taking a toll on traders.
   
“It would further prevent looming crisis and imminent loss of life and property in the market, as well as find a short-term political solution to reopening the market,” it said.

The group also called on the authorities of the Nigeria Police to carry out thorough investigations into roles played by its deployed officers and personnel during their raid on the Onitsha drug market.