The International Society for Civil Liberties and Rule of Law (Intersociety) has demanded that the National Agency for Food, Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) refund over N3 billion allegedly collected from traders at the Onitsha Drug Market.

The market has been closed for months following an operation by NAFDAC. The closure had elicited some outcry, especially with the agency collecting N700,000 from each of the affected shop owners as a condition for the reopening of the market

In a statement by Mr Emeka Umeagbalasi, Head, Intersociety, Chinwe Umeche, Human Rights Lawyer/Head, Democracy and Good Governance, and Chidinma Evangeline Udegbunam, Head, Religious Freedom and Human Rights, Intersociety asked NAFDAC to refund the money.

The organisation said such a refund “must be attached with 20% interest. We also understand that between 3,500 and 3,800 affected traders have been forced to pay as of Thursday, May 29, 2025, according to sources linked to the Market.

“We are bold to say that no number of excuses or policy defense and sanctification can justify such imposition and forceful collection from traders that have been kept out of their legitimate businesses for more than 90 days.

“It is also our insistence that we are steadily in solidarity with over 90% of the traders in the Market who are genuine drug traders, including those trading on pharmaceutically produced and supplied products and lifesaving and body system supplement drugs. We are also in no way in support of those trading on expired, counterfeit, substandard and fake drugs or products.

“It must be remembered that the Onitsha Drug Market is presently 14,000-person strong, comprising about 7000 business owners occupying about 5000 market stalls and packing stores, and an estimated 7000 others comprising apprentices, salesgirls, hawkers, and others providing menial services.

“We further submitted more than ten public interest petitions and issued several media statements thereto.

“Shockingly, NAFDAC DG received hers twice with evidential proofs of delivery but chose to ignore them to date. Time and space may not allow us at Intersociety to reproduce mind-boggling findings and far-reaching recommendations made or reflected in the referenced public interest petitions.

“Contrary to the National Agency for Food and Drug Control and Administration’s DG’s claims, there are three major types or categories of extortion fees introduced and enforced by the Agency at Onitsha Drug Market; namely: “Poor Storage Fee of N700,000” for every market store owner and a separate “N200,000 Poor Storage Fee” for every packing store owner at the Market.

“Third extortionist fee is labeled: N200,000 charge for each multinational drug or product and its wholesaler including lifesaving and food and body system supplement drugs or products unregistered by NAFDAC.”