Drug hawkers attack NAFDAC officials in Abuja

Some drug hawkers on Monday, February 12, 2024 attacked officials of National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) who were on enforcement operation against substandard drugs in Abuja.

The officials were attacked by the hoodlums during a raid at Area 1 motor park.

The hoodlums harassed the enforcement officers including mobile policemen, and stoned the Agency’s vehicle, breaking its windscreen.

It took the effort of police officers, who shot into the air several times, and released teargas to disperse the hoodlums before journalists and the NAFDAC officers could scamper for safety.

The team leader, Mr. Umar-Ahmed Suleiman, an Assistant Chief Regulatory Officer of NAFDAC, said the raid followed intelligence received by the Agency of high volume of substandard drugs in the park.

“This exercise that we just conducted today at Area 1 motor park is as a result of 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.

“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 have not even done half of the work, when the drug hawkers all absconded, not knowing that they were re-enforcing against NAFDAC.

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“They came back in full force, attacking us. You can see our vehicle how they broke the glass, throwing stones on 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 re-enforce, prepare more, do the needful.

He said in spite of 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.

The Star