NEWS
JUST IN: NAFDAC Reopens Onitsha Drug Market After Month-Long Closure
The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has officially announced the reopening of the Onitsha Drug Market and other adjoining markets after nearly a month-long closure.
The South-East Zonal Director of NAFDAC, Mr. Martins Iluyomade, made the announcement on Thursday following a crucial meeting between the agency, the Anambra State government, and market union leaders.
Business operations in the affected markets are set to resume on Friday.
The closure, which began early last month, was part of NAFDAC’s crackdown on the sale of illicit drugs.
READ ALSO: Four-Storey Building Collapses In Onitsha
Several markets, including the plumbing materials market, timber market, surgical materials market, and science laboratory materials market, were also shut down after large quantities of illegal pharmaceuticals were discovered.
Illicit Drugs Found Across Markets
Addressing government officials and market leaders, Iluyomade explained that NAFDAC’s actions extended beyond the Ogbogwu drug market due to the widespread presence of counterfeit and banned drugs.
“People were asking why we locked other markets that had nothing to do with drugs, but we found illegal pharmaceuticals in all the markets we closed.
“The quantity we discovered in adjoining markets was just as much as in Ogbogwu. If we hadn’t taken this action, we wouldn’t have been able to cover the extent of the problem,” he stated.
Iluyomade also highlighted the security concerns surrounding the market, recalling past incidents where NAFDAC officials were attacked while carrying out enforcement operations.
“Last year, our officers were beaten, and even a government official was stripped naked for performing his duty. We had to lock up the entire area to prevent collateral damage. This market plays a major role in drug distribution nationwide, and any contamination here would affect the entire country,” he warned.
Iluyomade commended Anambra State Governor Charles Soludo for backing NAFDAC’s efforts despite attempts by some individuals to politicize the issue.
“Fake drugs kill indiscriminately, regardless of ethnicity. The governor understood this and supported us in ensuring that harmful medicines are eliminated from circulation,” he said.
He revealed that NAFDAC had confiscated over 50 trailers of counterfeit and substandard drugs, with many more still hidden in warehouses across the city.
“The volume of narcotics we found here is enough to destabilize any nation. There is a clear link between drug abuse and insecurity. Countries battling lawlessness often have a high circulation of illicit substances,” he explained.
Additionally, the agency uncovered storage malpractice that rendered even genuine medicines unsafe.
Some warehouses were found to be storing temperature-sensitive drugs, such as those for women in labor, in hot and poorly ventilated environments, compromising their effectiveness.
Despite the market reopening, Iluyomade stressed that approximately 4,000 shops would remain sealed until their owners explain the presence of illegal drugs found in their stores.
He warned that any future attacks on NAFDAC officials or a resurgence of illicit drug sales would result in another market shutdown.
Market union leaders expressed relief over the reopening and pledged to cooperate with NAFDAC to identify those involved in illegal drug activities.
NEWS
Showunmi Urges South-East to Judge Tinubu by Projects, Not Propaganda
Otunba Segun Showunmi, a member of the Tinubu/Shettima Presidential Campaign Council (PCC) for 2027, has urged the South-East to assess President Bola Tinubu’s administration based on verifiable projects and measurable results rather than political propaganda.
Showunmi made the call in a statement posted on X on Saturday, urging Nigerians to evaluate the government’s performance based on infrastructure delivery, funds committed to projects and their impact on communities.
He said federal infrastructure initiatives targeting the South-East under Tinubu’s administration deserved serious scrutiny and factual assessment, adding that unfulfilled promises should continue to be pursued until the expected results were delivered.
SEE ALSO: 2027 Election: ‘Look Beyond the Noise’ – Showunmi Urges Nigerians to Give Tinubu More Time
“Our message is clear: We will not trade facts for propaganda, nor accountability for political loyalty!” he said.
The political figure challenged critics of the administration to provide evidence to support their claims, while urging those defending the government to present the projects and demonstrate their impact.
He also called on government officials to publish relevant figures, disclose project timelines and provide measurable results, insisting that no public official should be exempt from scrutiny.
According to Showunmi, the South-East deserves infrastructure that supports economic growth, including roads that connect markets, investments that create jobs and policies that expand economic opportunities.
He maintained that political representation must translate into tangible benefits for citizens, stressing that public office should deliver value to the people.
As part of his call to action, Showunmi urged Nigerians to scrutinise government records, challenge misinformation with evidence and demand the completion of outstanding projects.
He further called for public commitments to be matched by measurable delivery, arguing that leadership should be assessed by facts and results rather than political rhetoric.
Ending his statement with the slogan, “Asiwaju is a goal,” Showunmi called for accountability and greater inclusion of the South-East in Nigeria’s development.
Showunmi is associated with The Alternative and is a member of the Tinubu/Shettima Presidential Campaign Council for the 2027 elections.
NEWS
Lagos: LASTMA Announces Traffic Restrictions Along Route to Toll Gate
The Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) on Saturday announced a temporary road closure near Apostolic Church, inward Toll Gate, to allow engineers to install a beam on a height-restriction structure.
The agency said the installation was aimed at preventing high-rise trailers from accessing the newly constructed pedestrian bridge.
ALSO READ: LASTMA Alerts Motorists to Traffic Delays on Ogunnusi Road
“Currently, one lane has been occupied to facilitate the ongoing construction work, while the remaining two lanes are available to motorists,” LASTMA stated.
The agency advised road users to approach the affected corridor with caution and follow the directions of its personnel deployed to the area.
“Road users are advised to approach the affected corridor with caution and follow the directions of our personnel who are on ground to ensure the smooth flow of vehicular movement,” the statement added.
LASTMA also urged motorists to remain patient while the installation work continued.
“Motorists are encouraged to exercise patience while the installation work is in progress,” the agency stated.
NEWS
‘Oseni Rufai Helped Me, Not NiDCOM’ — Ekene Chukwuma on Return to Nigeria
Nigerian national Ekene Chukwuma has said he returned to Nigeria with assistance linked to Oseni Rufai rather than the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM), while renewing allegations against the commission’s chairperson, Abike Dabiri-Erewa, over his travel documents.
Chukwuma made the remarks in an interview in which he explained how he returned to Nigeria after spending months at a deportation camp in India.
RELATED NEWS: Rufai Oseni Row: NiDCOM Breaks Silence on Nigerians Detained in India, Addresses Ekene’s Case
“My name is Kenneth Chukwu, from Enugu State,” he said, introducing himself before explaining how he returned to the country.
“I came back here with the assist of Osini Roufai, a good friend of him,” he said.
Chukwuma denied that NiDCOM facilitated his return, alleging that the commission had published false information about his case.
“NiDCOM made a lots of false, uh, news acquisition against me, which is still in Abike Dabiri handle in Twitter,” he said.
He also accused Dabiri-Erewa of sharing his expired international passport and a travel certificate he claimed was issued six months after he entered the detention camp.
“He also, she also posted my international passport that expired. He also, she also posted my TC that issued after 6 months,” he said.
His comments renew questions surrounding the handling of his case and the circumstances under which he obtained the documents needed to return to Nigeria.
Chukwuma’s detention in India previously sparked a public disagreement between ARISE News presenter Oseni Rufai and Dabiri-Erewa over NiDCOM’s response to reports of his situation.
Oseni raised concerns about Chukwuma’s detention and the commission’s handling of the case, while Dabiri-Erewa defended NiDCOM’s position and explained the process for submitting information to the commission.
NiDCOM subsequently issued its account of Chukwuma’s detention, stating that he had been arrested in India over a visa overstay and addressing the circumstances surrounding his travel documents.
The differing accounts prompted public debate about the commission’s response to Nigerians facing immigration difficulties abroad.






Some truly nice and useful information on this website , also I think the style and design holds great features.
fabuloso este conteúdo. Gostei bastante. Aproveitem e vejam este site. informações, novidades e muito mais. Não deixem de acessar para aprender mais. Obrigado a todos e até a próxima. 🙂
incrível este conteúdo. Gostei bastante. Aproveitem e vejam este site. informações, novidades e muito mais. Não deixem de acessar para saber mais. Obrigado a todos e até a próxima. 🙂
That is the right weblog for anybody who needs to seek out out about this topic. You notice a lot its almost hard to argue with you (not that I actually would want…HaHa). You positively put a brand new spin on a topic thats been written about for years. Nice stuff, simply nice!
I will immediately snatch your rss as I can’t in finding your e-mail subscription hyperlink or e-newsletter service. Do you have any? Please let me understand in order that I may subscribe. Thanks.
F*ckin¦ amazing things here. I¦m very satisfied to peer your post. Thanks so much and i’m taking a look forward to contact you. Will you please drop me a mail?
I?¦ve recently started a website, the info you provide on this website has helped me greatly. Thank you for all of your time & work.
Hey there would you mind letting me know which web host you’re using? I’ve loaded your blog in 3 completely different web browsers and I must say this blog loads a lot faster then most. Can you recommend a good internet hosting provider at a reasonable price? Thank you, I appreciate it!
F*ckin’ tremendous things here. I’m very happy to look your article. Thank you a lot and i’m taking a look forward to touch you. Will you please drop me a e-mail?
Hiya, I’m really glad I have found this information. Nowadays bloggers publish just about gossips and internet and this is actually frustrating. A good website with exciting content, this is what I need. Thanks for keeping this site, I’ll be visiting it. Do you do newsletters? Cant find it.
What’s Happening i am new to this, I stumbled upon this I have found It positively useful and it has helped me out loads. I hope to contribute & help other users like its helped me. Good job.
I just couldn’t depart your web site before suggesting that I actually loved the usual information a person provide in your guests? Is going to be back regularly in order to check out new posts.