A member of Nigeria’s House of Representatives, Sesi Oluwaseun Whingan, has called on traders affected by the recent drug market closures to formally submit petitions if they believe they were victims of extortion.
Whingan, who represents Badagry Federal Constituency, acknowledged the authority of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) to regulate pharmaceutical markets, but emphasized that illegal financial demands would not be tolerated.
Naturenex report the lawmaker issued this statement on Monday while responding to viral videos making rounds on social media. The clips claimed that NAFDAC was extorting traders whose shops were shut down during recent enforcement actions.
Apart from the Onitsha Bridge Head Market, other drug markets like Idumota in Lagos were also closed, and some shop owners reportedly fined. However, NAFDAC clarified that the penalties were applied fairly across the affected locations, insisting that they were imposed in accordance with existing laws.
Addressing the matter, Whingan, who also serves as the Deputy Chairman of the House Committee on Petroleum Resources (Upstream), advised traders in Lagos to formally report any cases of extortion, while urging them to avoid spreading baseless accusations against the agency.
His statement read: “I don’t believe this is the best route to tackle this if truly your concerns about NAFDAC’s market closures and the alleged demands for payments to reopen your shops. As your representative, I stand with you to ensure fairness and justice. While we support NAFDAC’s efforts to eliminate fake drugs, no legitimate trader should suffer unjustly.”
Continuing, he added: “So pls, let’s use the right medium to addresss this. I urge the traders to channel ther grievances through my office(office no 0.26 National Assembly complex) by submitting a formal petition with details of their experience. Include any evidence of your legitimate business and NAFDAC’s demands.”
Whingan assured the affected traders of his commitment to pursue the issue within the legislature once he receives the petitions. “I will raise this matter on the legislative floor to demand accountability and protect your livelihoods as soon as I get it and also I make sure to follow it to a logical end. Together, we can bring transparency and fairness to the system.”
