Popular Nigerian social media activist, VeryDarkMan, has taken to a live broadcast from Ogbogwu Market in Onitsha — widely regarded as Africa’s largest drug market — to accuse the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) of widespread extortion, oppression, and abuse of power.
In the live video streamed to thousands of viewers, VeryDarkMan alleged that on February 8, 2025, NAFDAC officials shut down over 5,000 shops in the market after claiming to have discovered counterfeit drugs in a few stores. Instead of targeting and arresting the specific culprits, he said, the agency imposed a blanket fee of ₦700,000 on every shop owner as a condition to reopen.
According to the activist, more than 1,000 traders have already paid the amount under duress, while thousands of others remain locked out of their businesses. He described the situation as “blatant exploitation” and called on both federal and state governments to step in and investigate the actions of the regulatory body.
“This is not regulation. This is punishment without due process. Innocent people are suffering, and livelihoods are being destroyed,” VeryDarkMan said during the broadcast.
Traders in Ogbogwu, many of whom rely on daily earnings, have expressed frustration and fear that continued closure could lead to economic ruin. Several shop owners corroborated the claims, insisting they had no connection to the sale of fake drugs but were being unfairly penalized.
