The Abia office of the Consumer Protection Council (CPC), a parastatal of the federal government, on Thursday, arrested makers of fake eye drops in Aba, the commercial hub of Abia State.
Chidi Nnabugwu, chairman, CPC, Abia State, explained that the council has been on the trail of peddlers of fake drugs for eight months, which took them to Ekwulobia and other parts of Anambra State, where they arrested one Jenkins, who runs Jenkins Foundation.
He explained that the council is collaborating with the Anambra State Police Command, as well as police commands of other neighbouring states of the South-East and South-South regions of Nigeria, to ensure they eradicate peddlers of fake drugs.
He noted that producers of this fake eye ointment use a certain brand of vegetable oil, which they put in a branded container and sell to people to use as an eye drop.
Nnabugwu explained that Orji and his cohorts also have other unapproved concoctions that they call medicine, which they sell to people to consume.
According to him, their medicines are all about fibroids, malaria and other diseases. We arrested this man here at Nkwor-Ngwa market today and we got him arrested with some of his boys that he does business with.
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“Last year, they came to Osisioma and before we could get them, they ran away, we learnt they were at Immaculate, but they also ran away before we got there.
“However, they couldn’t escape us today. This is an eyesore. Our job is to protect consumers; we can’t allow people like this to go free without charging them to court. We don’t have a place to keep them so, we would hand them over to the police and by tomorrow (Friday), our director-general will take over the matter and they would be charged to court”, he stated.
Daniel Orji, one of the suspects, an indigene of Lokpanta, in Umunneochi LGA of Abia State, who resides in Aba, stated that he was a footballer, but got into the business, due to an injury he sustained while playing for Abia Warriors Football Club of Umuahia.
He explained that someone recommended Jenkins Foundation balm when he was injured while playing for Abia Warriors in a match against Wiki Tourists of Bauchi, in 2020, which according to him was effective.
In his words, “I used it and it worked for me because I was relieved momentarily, however the injury reappeared and I had to drop from football having nothing to do”.
Unable to secure a club to help him, Orji said he called Jenkins and explained his predicament to him, which prompted Jenkins to make him a distributor of his unapproved drugs.
Meanwhile, Jenkins advised Orji to change the logo on the products to Dunamis Foundation, as against Jenkins Foundation, because he once had problems with CPC.
He sent me just two products meant for free medical treatment to introduce the firm to Aba people. I’m surprised that the CPC said that the eye drop was produced with groundnut oil. I never knew it was groundnut oil, Orji stated.
“They said other products are supernatural products that cure diseases, like fibroid and malaria. I’ve not even sold anything before I was caught. I was not trained on anything medical. They gave us little containers to put the eye drop.
“When I was arrested, I called the Foundation and they told me not to worry that they’ll only arrest me and when I settle them, they’ll allow me to go. They said Aba is always a problem for them. I regret my actions now because it was the lack of employment that pushed me into this.
“I’m married and my wife is in Aba with me. I didn’t obtain any license, because the owner as I was told is a Commissioner in Benue State, but I don’t know his name or portfolio in Benue State Government.
“He’s also an evangelist as well. They said we don’t need a licence from any medical body, because what we’re selling are supernatural products. I have also sold these type of products for another Foundation called Chi-Foundation in Umunneochi, but this is the first time I’m opening my own.
“They package whatever they give to me and I don’t know what’s inside”, he stated.
Okechukwu Obinna, a petty trader, from Abayi-Mbasaa, Ugwunagbo LGA of Abia State, said he got involved with Orji, following the demolition of his shop, by the landlord.
