Violent youths in Igbudu market, Warri, Delta State, on Friday attacked officials of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, NAFDAC, with dangerous weapons and disrupted their operations.
NAFDAC officials were reportedly in the market to inspect shops alleged to be selling fake drugs; however, DAILY POST gathered that youths of the area resisted the government officials and prevented them from carrying out their duties.
The youths, according to reports, insisted that no law enforcement officer comes into their community to effect any arrest without their permission.
The incident allegedly resulted in violence and caused serious tension in the Igbudu market area, but it is not clear if any NAFDAC official sustained injury as of the time of this report.
The Senior Special Assistant on Human Rights to the Delta State Governor, Kelvin Ejumudo, in reaction to the incident, said the market chairman and union chairman of Igbudu market must be arrested by the relevant security agencies to immediately curb the alleged disruption of operations of the NAFDAC officials.
Ejumudo said, "We are all complaining of the increase in the rate of fake products and consumables and high rate of kidney failures and yet you people are resisting NAFDAC access to inspect the market."
Ejumudo warned that the Delta State Government does not and will not condone such ugly acts from anyone, irrespective of their status.
According to him, "We will storm the market again; let’s see who will resist NAFDAC again."
He noted that everyone has a role to play in nation-building with regard to ridding the nation of fake drugs.