Nigerian Senator, Tony Nwoye, representing Anambra North Senatorial District, has openly decried the continued shutdown and alleged extortion of traders at Onitsha?s Ogbo Ogwu Market.

His remarks come in the wake of the controversial sealing of over 5,000 shops by the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC).

In a statement released on the issue, Senator Nwoye characterized the situation as a ?clear case of regulatory overreach,? urging both the Federal and Anambra State Governments to step in and correct what he termed a ?gross injustice.?

The market has remained shut since February 2025, following a sweeping NAFDAC operation targeting the well-known drug distribution hub. While the agency claimed that its action was prompted by the presence of counterfeit pharmaceuticals, Senator Nwoye noted that the repercussions of the raid affected a broader group of traders.

?Entire sections of the market, including traders dealing in non-pharmaceutical items such as paints, plumbing materials, and accessories, were unjustly shut down,? he said.

He unequivocally stated ?that Traders found culpable in dealing with fake and contraband drugs in the market should be punished?

Recounting his visit to the market shortly after the clampdown, Senator Nwoye recalled being accompanied by former Anambra Governor and 2023 Labour Party presidential candidate, Mr. Peter Obi, as well as other federal and state legislators. The delegation met with affected merchants and assessed the toll the closure had taken on commercial activity in the area.

He also took aim at NAFDAC?s demand for a uniform payment of ?500,000 per shop?later increased to ?700,000?as a prerequisite for reopening, condemning the move as ?exploitative? and lacking any legal basis.

?To punish over 5,000 traders indiscriminately without due process is to violate both the spirit and letter of the law,? the Senator stated. ?This is not regulation, it is economic persecution.?

Available reports indicate that more than 1,000 shop owners have managed to pay the demanded fee, while a vast number remain locked out due to financial hardship. Senator Nwoye questioned the uniqueness of the situation, pointing out that no other market in the country has faced such a sweeping penalty. He demanded the immediate return of all funds collected from traders not involved in the alleged offenses.

He further called on Anambra State Governor, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo, to take more decisive action in resolving the matter.

?Ogbo Ogwu Market must be reopened without further delay,? he declared. ?I stand in solidarity with the traders and will continue to use all legislative and legal means to press for justice.?

Concluding his statement, Senator Nwoye urged that all regulatory enforcement efforts in Nigeria be carried out in a manner that upholds fairness, transparency, and the rule of law?without endangering the livelihoods of law-abiding citizens. (The Sun)

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