NANDRUM storms Onitsha Drug Markets, charges traders to desist from fake, hard drug peddling
By Polycarp Ifeanyi
The Executive National Secretary of National Association of Nigeria Drugs Monitoring ( NANDRUM), Dr. Mrs. Christabel Regan Okoye has visited Onitsha drug Markets.
During the visit, she admonished to the Executives of each Market the inherent danger of peddling fake drugs. She also urged the traders to shun the sell of hard drugs, warning that it has dare consequences both on them and society at large.
Dr. Mrs. Regan Okoye was accompanied by the State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Afam Obidike, represented by Mr. Emmanuel Oguaju and Commander National Drug Law enforcement Agency ( NDLEA), Mrs. Florence Ezeonye represented by Mr. Fidelis Erhi.
The Market which she visited includes International Drugs Market Onitsha popularly known as Ogwogwu Bridge-Head, Ogbaru Relief Market Drugs Dealers, Ochanja Market Drugs Dealers while Madueke Drugs Dealers, Ose okwuodu Drugs Dealers, Onitsha Main Market Drugs Dealers and Nnewi Drugs Dealers are other Drugs Market she is expected to visit.
Dr. Mrs. Regan Okoye, also a consultant and Ambassador joint Committee of Senate and House of Representatives, National Assembly on Drugs and Narcotics told the traders that her primary mission was not to arrest anybody but for familiarization purposes.
She also said the visit was to intimate the traders on the stories in public space about Onitsha concerning fake drugs and hard drugs.
“The stories concerning Onitsha drug dealers are not palatable. The news everywhere is that Onitsha is a dumping site where fake drugs and hard drugs are produced and sold. Fake drugs and hard drugs are dangerous to health and for this reason you people should desist from peddling them. No matter how much you make out from it, it has destroyed the society especially our youths.” Dr. Mrs Okoye warned !
Responding, the Caretaker Chairman of Ogbaru Main Market, Chief David Obidike eulogized Dr. Mrs. Okoye for her familiarization tour, saying ” it is worth doing and opportunity to assist drug dealers.”
Mr. Gilbert Emebo the Ogbaru Main Market Drug Dealers Chairman emeritus and the Secretary emeritus, Evangelist Linus Onyejiaka lauded Dr. Mrs Okoye for her visit and informed her that NAFDAC endorsed them as free counterfeit drug dealers which they said, would always maintain, just as their incumbent Chairman, Mr Chinedu Mmakwe affirmed that NAFDAC endorsed them and they could not afford to destroy their credibility by encouraging fakes and hard drugs.
Also speaking, the patron of Ochanja drug dealers, Dr. Chibuike Peter explained that their members constituted taskforce and enforcement team that checkmate sales of fake drugs and hard drugs.
He commended Dr. Okoye for her initiatives in visiting drug dealers, even as Mr. John Ngwuagu and Mr. Obiora Oraemsi posited that they would try their best to checkmate counterfeit drugs among their members.
Contributing, Mr. Emmanuel Oguaju who represented the Anambra State Commissioner for health, Dr. Afam Obidike reminded the traders that they are stakeholders in the fight against fake drugs and drugs abuse, stressing that the issues about drugs abuse has become alarming.
Similarly, Mr. Fidelis Erhi who represented commander National Drugs Law Enforcement Agency ( NDLEA) Mrs. Florence Ezeonye listed Tramadol, Methamphetamine (Mkpulumili), India hemps and others as hard drugs that were prohibited from being sold, warning that offenders are liable to prosecution.
Speaking to newsmen shortly, Dr Okoye said ” The purpose of the visit was for advocacy. “We just came for familiarity visit to drug dealers. We decided to visit seven drugs Market in Onitsha because of how the country is going down on drugs abuse and trafficking.
“We have visited Ogbogwu International Market, Ose, Madueke, Ochanja and rest of them to let them know that as far they keep doing these, the country will continue to go down, no matter the money they make from it.
“We used the visit to warn them on the possible repercussions if they are apprehended by the national Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, because the body is empowered to seize and take peddlers to court even without involving police.”
She further disclosed that after the familiarization tour, normal sensitization workshop would commence which, according to her, holds annually.
She disclosed that 2022 version of the sensitization workshop would include 5 thousand match against fake drugs, drugs abuse and trafficking in Anambra State, noting that they would involve even students who are in the Secondary School and tertiary institutions.
