Officials from the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) faced a violent confrontation on Monday during an enforcement operation targeting substandard drugs in Abuja.
According to the report, the NAFDAC officials encountered resistance from hoodlums while conducting a raid at Area 1 motor park. The hoodlums harassed the enforcement team, which included mobile policemen, and even resorted to stoning the NAFDAC vehicle, causing damage to its windscreen.
In response to the escalating violence, police officers intervened by firing shots into the air and deploying tear gas to disperse the hoodlums. The chaotic situation forced journalists and NAFDAC officers to seek safety amidst the turmoil.
The team leader and Assistant Chief Regulatory Officer at NAFDAC, Mr. Umar-Ahmed Suleiman, explained that the raid was prompted by intelligence indicating a significant presence of substandard drugs within the motor park.
“This exercise that we just conducted today at Area 1 motor park is a result of an intelligence report received from DSS in 2023, although we have done some part of it then, we are trying to conclude the operation.
“You can see a lot of drug hawkers relaxed selling their products and people patronising them, that was why we raided the place,” he said.
According to Suleiman, what happened is a normal thing to us in the investigation and enforcement unit of NAFDAC.
“That is why anytime we are going, we go with our armed mobile police officers, and Investigative Police Officers in case of any arrest.
“On our arrival here today, we swung into action but to my surprise, we had not even done half of the work, when the drug hawkers all absconded, not knowing that they were re-enforcing against NAFDAC.
“They came back in full force, attacking us, you can see our vehicle and how they broke the glass, throwing stones at us.
“Thank God for the gunshot and teargas released on them and we had to leave the scene,” he said.
Suleiman, however, said that the enforcement unit would reinforce, prepare more, and do the needful.
He said despite the attack, the enforcement team was able to seize some controlled drugs including Rohypnol, Dizapam, Tramadol 500mg, Tramadol 225mg, Cocodamol and so many other afrodisiac with some codeine syrups.
According to him, the value of the drug seized is more than N5 million.
“Area 1 motor park is a troublesome area for substandard drug sales and the enforcement unit will be going back there to complete the operation,” he said.
NAN
