The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has condemned recent social media allegations made by influencer Very Dark Man (VDM), who accused the agency of extortion and misconduct during enforcement operations at Onitsha Bridge Head Market.
VDM claimed traders were forced to pay ₦700,000 for an unknown service, threatening legal action.
However, NAFDAC’s Director General, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, dismissed the allegations as false and inciting, warning that the content could violate the Cybercrime Act.
Speaking in a statement on Monday, the DG stressed that the enforcement at Onitsha, conducted under the Office of the National Security Adviser’s authority, targeted the seizure and destruction of banned, expired, and substandard drugs valued at over ₦1 trillion across major open drug markets, including Idumota (Lagos), Ariaria (Aba), and Bridge Head (Onitsha).
Prof. Adeyeye clarified that NAFDAC’s operations are intelligence-driven and mandated by law to regulate and control the importation, manufacture, distribution, and sale of regulated products.
She also reminded the public that selling drugs in unregulated places like markets and roadside stalls is illegal under the Counterfeit and Fake Drugs Act.
The agency said over 2,500 compliant traders have resumed business at the newly regulated Onitsha market, while only a minority, linked to banned narcotics, continue to resist compliance and allegedly fuel unrest.
NAFDAC called on security agencies to investigate VDM’s role, adding that attempts to disrupt lawful regulatory activities will not be successful.
