Some officials of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) who were on enforcement operation against substandard drugs at Area 1 Motor Park Abuja were attacked by hoodlums on Monday.
The NAFDAC officers and journalists were able to scamper for safety after police officers shot into the air several times, and released teargas to disperse the hoodlums.
The hoodlums harassed the enforcement officers, including mobile policemen, and stoned the Agency’s vehicle, breaking its windscreen.
Mr Umar-Ahmed Suleiman, an Assistant Chief Regulatory Officer of, the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) who led the team said the raid followed intelligence received by the Agency of the high volume of substandard drugs in the park.
“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.
“This exercise that we just conducted today at Area 1 motor park is a result of an 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 patronizing 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 had not even done half of the work, when the drug hawkers all absconded, not knowing that they were re-enforcing against NAFDAC.
“They came back in full force, attacking us, you can see our vehicle and how they broke the glass, throwing stones at us.
“Thank God for the gunshot and teargas released on them and we had to leave the scene.
“Despite the attack, the enforcement team was able to seize some controlled drugs including Rohypnol, Dizapam, Tramadol 500mg, Tramadol 225mg, Cocodamol and so many other aphrodisiac with some codeine syrups,” he said.
According to him, the value of the drug seized is more than N5 million.
Suleiman said that the enforcement unit would reinforce, prepare more, and do the needful.
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