The police in Kano, yesterday, vowed to clampdown on pharmaceutical traders in Kano who refused to relocate to the newly constructed market located at Dangwauro, on the outskirt of the city.
 
The police assured of adequate support for the takeoff of the new market, and threatened to punish any trader found defaulting. This followed the expiration of deadline issued the traders to relocate to the new site.
 
The state government had issued an ultimatum to all pharmaceutical traders in Sabon Gari market in Fagge Local Council to relocate to Kano Economic City, located at Dangwauro.
   
The authorities said the new market has mechanisms for checkmating the movement and selling of illicit, fake and substandard drugs in the state. Leader of the new market, Husseini Zakari, said the market was commissioned for drugs business in February, but some groups of pharmaceutical traders are allegedly sabotaging government’s plan for dubious reasons.
   
“We are appealing to the traders to relocate to the new site for the good of Kano residents. In the new market, there are mechanisms in place to checkmate counterfeit drugs and abuses, and ensure sanity in the pharmaceutical business in the state,” he said.
   
Spokesperson for Kano State Police Command, Abdullahi Kiyawa, in a statement, said the command would synergise with all stakeholders to ensure that the traders relocate to the new market.
   
He said security agencies in the state would jointly fight all forms of illegal dealings of drugs and substances to a standstill across the state. He said:  “The Kano State Commissioner of Police, Mohammed Gumel, was conducted round the newly constructed Kano Economic City Market and interacted with members of Kanawa Pharmaceutical Partners (KPP), a project facilitated by Federal Ministry of Health through Pharmacy Council of Nigeria under the leadership of Usaini Zakari.
   
“The coordinated wholesale centre will help in checkmating the movement and selling of illicit, fake and substandard drugs in Kano State,” Kiyawa added.
 
Meanwhile, the Pharmacy Council of Nigeria (PCN) has expressed its support for the relocation, reminding that the law prohibits the sale of drugs in all open markets.
 
The registrar, Ibrahim Babashehu Ahmed, in a statement, said: “PCN appreciates the collaboration from Kano State government, Emirate Council, security agencies and other regulatory bodies for the commitment shown in protecting the public against the scourge of illegal drug use and drug sellers.”