Crime
Looting: Onitsha Trader Drags NAFDAC To Court, Demands ₦110m Compensation
A female trader at the popular Ogbo Ogwu (Bridgehead Drug Market) in Onitsha, Anambra State, has taken legal action against the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), accusing the agency of unlawfully looting her clothing store during a recent drug market raid.
The trader, Ms. Sophia Eberechukwu Okoye, filed a ₦110 million lawsuit at the Federal High Court in Awka under suit number FHC/AWK/CS/162/2025.
Through her lawyer, Sir Ifeanyi Ejiofor, Okoye is seeking ₦100 million in damages and an additional ₦10 million to cover litigation costs.
She is also demanding the return of her seized goods — including boxers, singlets, shirts, jeans, shorts, joggers, and more — valued at approximately ₦15.76 million, or the equivalent amount in cash.
READ MORE: Controversy As NAFDAC Accuses VDM Of Inciting Drug Traders In Onitsha
According to the suit, the alleged incident occurred during a recent NAFDAC-led operation aimed at clearing fake, expired, and substandard drugs from the Onitsha market.
Ms. Okoye claims her shop, which deals exclusively in fashion items and has no ties to pharmaceuticals, was wrongfully targeted by security personnel and NAFDAC officials.
The suit followed the expiration of a one-month notice earlier served on NAFDAC in March 2025, notifying the agency of her intent to sue.
Speaking on the matter in a press release, her legal representative, Ejiofor — who is also known for representing the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) — condemned the agency’s conduct and promised to pursue justice.
“No agency, regardless of its mission – has the right to operate outside the legal boundaries that define its existence. The recent events at Ogbo-Ogwu Bridge Head Market in Onitsha are a shameful testament to what happens when institutions betray this fundamental principle,” Ejiofor stated.
He added that the incident, which has now gone viral, reveals the magnitude of injustice the trader suffered.
“The now-viral footage of Ms. Sophie Eberechukwu Okoye – a young trader devastated after her shop was unlawfully broken into and looted – has shocked the conscience of the nation.
“Her store, which sells clothes, watches, and fashion accessories, had no connection whatsoever to pharmaceuticals, yet it was targeted in a wave of looting allegedly carried out by a joint task force deployed under NAFDAC’s authority.”
He described the operation not as an act of law enforcement, but as outright criminality:
“What took place was not enforcement – it was lawlessness. This was not regulation – it was organised pillage. Armed with a mandate to protect, these operatives instead unleashed terror on innocent citizens, looting and decimating livelihoods without just cause.”
Ejiofor further revealed that with the legal notice period now over, they have officially commenced legal proceedings and vowed not to back down.
“This is unacceptable. However, upon the expiration of the statutory period for the pre-action notice served on NAFDAC, we have formally commenced a legal action against NAFDAC at the Federal High Court, Awka, demanding full accountability and redress for Ms. Sophie, a victim of this gross abuse of power.”
He went on to argue that the case represents a broader pattern of misconduct.
“But this is bigger than one victim or one case. What occurred at Ogbo-Ogwu appears to be part of a systemic pattern of misconduct, looting, and impunity.
“We are calling on both the Federal Government and the Anambra State Government to immediately set up an independent investigative panel to audit the entire operation, identify all culprits, and ensure they face justice.”
While expressing support for NAFDAC’s role in combating fake drugs, the lawyer stressed that such efforts must not infringe on the rights of innocent citizens.
“We support NAFDAC’s mandate to rid our markets of fake drugs – but no mission, however noble, justifies trampling upon the rights and dignity of innocent Nigerians.
“Justice cannot and must not be collateral damage. A government that punishes the innocent while claiming to protect the public has failed its people. Every agency must be reminded: they serve under the law, not above it.”
Concluding his remarks, Ejiofor emphasized the importance of accountability:
“Today it’s Sophie. Tomorrow, it could be you. That’s why we must demand accountability, uphold the rule of law, and resist tyranny in all forms. We will not be silenced. We will not back down. Justice must be done – and seen to be done.”
The Oyo State Police Command has arrested a suspected cultist, Kingsley Odo, who allegedly travelled to the state to avenge the death of his brother.
The suspect was intercepted by operatives of the Safer Highway patrol team during a routine stop-and-search operation on a commercial bus along Ife Road.
The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) of the Oyo State Police Command, DSP Ayanlade Olushola Olayinka, said the operatives recovered a locally made, cut-to-size pistol and a cartridge during a search of the vehicle.
SEE ALSO: Oyo Police Begin Probe Into Abduction of Pastor’s Daughter In Ibadan
Olayinka said further questioning revealed that the suspect had travelled to Oyo State to carry out a revenge killing over his brother’s death.
“Further questioning revealed that he had travelled all the way from Anambra to Oyo State to carry out a revenge killing,” he said.
He added that the suspect had been arrested and was undergoing investigation to establish his connections and determine the extent of his alleged activities.
“All thanks to God and the good effort of the men of the Safer Highway, he was intercepted, arrested, and is currently undergoing investigation to know his connections and how wide it is,” Olayinka said.
Suspect Recounts Brother’s Death
During an interview following his arrest, Odo said the incident stemmed from the death of his brother in 2021, when he was working in Benue State.
He explained that his brother was schooling in Nsukka, Enugu State, when he received information that someone had killed him.
“It was in 2021. I was working in Benue State, so I had information that my brother, who was in school in Nsukka, had just died in the school, that somebody killed him in the school,” he said.
Odo added that his mother died a few weeks after his brother’s death.
He said he subsequently received information that the person allegedly responsible for his brother’s death was living in a southwestern state.
“So, last month, I had information that the boy is living in a state, a Yoruba state. So, I said okay, I will find out that place where he is living,” the suspect said.
He explained that he was travelling from Nsukka towards Oyo State when police operatives intercepted and arrested him.
When questioned about whether he knew the exact location of the person he intended to confront, Odo initially said he did not know the particular state but confirmed that he was heading to Oyo State.
“The information is with me,” he said, suggesting that he had information that could help him locate the individual.
Suspect Says He Bought Pistol for ₦20,000
When questioned about the firearm recovered from him, Odo said he purchased the pistol from a friend for ₦20,000.
“I bought it from my friend,” he said.
Asked what his friend did with firearms, the suspect said the individual might be a hunter.
“I don’t know, maybe he’s a hunter. A hunter who kills with pistol? Yes, he has this one and long, so he was the one that sell this one for me, 20,000,” he said.
Suspect Confirms Membership of Vikings Confraternity
During the interview, Odo was also questioned about reports that his deceased brother belonged to a cult group.
He said he could not confirm whether his brother was a member.
“Maybe he belongs, maybe he did not belong, because I was not there with him,” he said.
However, when asked whether he belonged to a cult group himself, the suspect answered in the affirmative and identified the group as Vikings.
The police said investigations were ongoing to establish the suspect’s connections and determine whether other individuals were involved in the alleged planned revenge killing.
Police Rescue Three Kidnap Victims in Taraba After Sustained Pressure
The Nigeria Police Force has disclosed the rescue of three kidnapped victims in Taraba State following sustained pressure mounted by its rescue teams.
The victims were identified as Otuwe Torhumba, 37; Kenneth Nyiutse, 35; and Michael Emmanuel, 27.
The Force made the disclosure on Saturday, October 3, 2026, in its 24-hour operational update covering security operations recorded across the country on October 2.
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According to the Police, “Due to sustained pressure by Police rescue teams, three of five kidnapped victims — Otuwe Torhumba (37), Kenneth Nyiutse (35) and Michael Emmanuel (27) — were rescued unharmed and reunited with their families.”
The Police said the three victims were rescued unharmed and subsequently reunited with their families.
The Force did not provide further details on the circumstances surrounding the abduction or the whereabouts of the remaining two victims in the operational summary.
The case is currently being investigated by the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), Jalingo.
The rescue was among several operational successes recorded by the Nigeria Police Force during the reporting period.
The Nigeria Police Force has disclosed the rescue of an 86-year-old man and his son after they were allegedly detained by suspected members of the Axe Men confraternity in Cross River State.
The victims, identified as Dominic Columbus Udoh, 86, and his son, Emmanuel Columbus Udoh, 40, were rescued by Police operatives on Friday, October 2, 2026.
The Police made the disclosure on Saturday, October 3, in its 24-hour operational update detailing security successes recorded across the country.
SEE ALSO: Benue: Police Repel Bandit Ambush, Recover Locally Fabricated Gun
According to the Force, Police operatives were mobilised to the scene after receiving information that suspected Axe Men confraternity cultists had unlawfully detained the two men.
The Police said the suspected cultists fled from the scene when operatives arrived.
The Force stated that officers, with assistance from neighbours, “forced open the locked apartment,” where the two victims were found.
According to the Police, both victims had sustained facial and chest injuries.
They were subsequently rescued and conveyed to the Police Hospital for medical treatment.
The Police said the incident is currently being investigated by the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), Calabar.
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