By Charles Igwe
Controversial social media activist, VeryDarkMan, has taken to his platforms to call out the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) over what he described as the “oppression, extortion, and abuse of power” being meted out to traders at Ogbo Ogwu Market in Onitsha, Anambra State.
Broadcasting live from the renowned drug and medical supply market, the activist condemned the continued closure of over 5,000 shops, a move initiated by NAFDAC on February 8, 2025, following allegations that certain vendors were dealing in fake pharmaceuticals.
Rather than arrest and prosecute the individuals directly involved, VeryDarkMan accused the agency of opting for collective punishment by sealing the entire market. “If NAFDAC discovered counterfeit drugs, why are they punishing everyone?” he queried. “This is not regulation—it is economic injustice.”
According to him, after months of enforced shutdown, the agency later demanded ₦500,000 per shop as a prerequisite for reopening—an amount that was eventually hiked to ₦700,000. While some traders have reportedly paid the sum under duress, thousands of others remain locked out, unable to afford the steep demand.
“This is not the Nigeria we want,” he declared in his video. “How can an agency created to protect lives be the same one ruining livelihoods?”
He described the situation as “a clear abuse of office,” and called on both the federal government and Anambra State government to intervene and halt what he termed systemic extortion. “If someone is guilty, let them be prosecuted. But to force every trader to pay for a crime committed by a few is tyrannical,” he added.
The viral post has sparked renewed attention on the ongoing crisis at Ogbo Ogwu Market, where frustrations continue to mount over the prolonged closure, economic losses, and perceived insensitivity of authorities.
