ABUJA, Nigeria — The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, NAFDAC, has denied allegations that it extorted money from traders at the Onitsha Bridge Head Market, following a viral video accusing the agency of demanding large sums from shop owners in exchange for reopening their premises.
The claims were made by controversial social media personality Martins Otse, popularly known as VeryDarkMan, who alleged that NAFDAC officials requested N700,000 from each trader as a condition for resuming business.
His video has since sparked widespread attention and criticism online.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, May 27, 2025, and signed by its Director-General, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, NAFDAC refuted the allegations, describing them as “misleading” and “inciteful,” and accusing the influencer of deliberately misrepresenting the facts to provoke unrest among traders.
“The attention of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has been drawn to misleading information as contained in videos that are trending on social media of the incitement of traders of Onitsha Bridge Head Market by one social media influencer,” the statement said.
NAFDAC explained that the Onitsha operation was part of a broader nationwide enforcement drive conducted between February 9 and March 27, 2025, targeting unauthorised and unsafe open drug markets across Lagos (Idumota), Aba, and Onitsha.
The agency reported that the exercise led to the seizure and destruction of banned, expired, substandard, and counterfeit medicines and narcotics worth over one trillion naira.
According to the agency, its investigation revealed that none of the warehouses or shops inspected met minimum standards of good storage and distribution practices, nor were they registered with the Pharmacy Council of Nigeria (PCN), a regulatory requirement.
NAFDAC acknowledged that charges were levied against violators, but emphasised that these were official, Federal Government–approved “gazetted investigative charges” based on the nature and severity of the infractions.
For example, it said, a charge of N5 million for the sale of unregistered products was reduced to N200,000 after an appeal, and a N2 million fine for improper storage practices was lowered to N500,000.
“These are Federal Government gazetted charges and payments,” the agency said.
“Contrary to erroneous speculations, the agency is not imposing arbitrary levies.”
NAFDAC warned that deliberate attempts to distort its enforcement role could potentially violate the Cybercrime (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act.
It also urged relevant security agencies to take note of Otse’s actions, implying possible legal consequences for what it described as an attempt to incite disaffection and disrupt public order.
