Traders decry closure of Ekumi plaza in Aba by NAFDAC

…appeal to Otti, Abaribe, Ikwechegh to intervene

Beauty and hair accessories dealers, in Ekumi Plaza, in Ariaria area of Aba, the commercial hub of Abia State, have appealed to the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), to reopen the market to enable them continue with their legitimate businesses.

They argued that Patent Medicine Dealers, who are the target of the enforcement operation that led to the closure of Ekumi plaza, occupy only 300 shops out of 1,300 shops in the market.

NAFDAC on February 10, 2025 started an enforcement operation in some selected drug markets across the country, including Ekumi market, to eradicate fake, banned and other spurious NAFDAC-regulated products from circulating in Nigeria.

However, the volume of banned and unregistered drugs discovered in the market, led to its temporary closure, by NAFDAC, BusinessDAY gathered.

Chibuike Johnson Eze, chairman, Beauty and Hair Accesories Association, Ekumi Plaza, while addressing the press Saturday, on the matter, prayed Governor Alex Otti, to intervene and ensure that the market is reopened for business.

According to him, this market has a total of 1,300 shops. Hair Beauty and Accessories dealers, occupy 1,000 shops, while Patent Medicine Dealers are occupying just 300 shops in the market.

“However, due to the ongoing NAFDAC search for fake and expired drugs in the market, the entire market has been shutdown for over two weeks now, depriving us of our source of livelihoods.

“I don’t understand why NAFDAC will shutdown the entire plaza, just because of 300 people.

“You can see how we are loitering on the street. We are not doing business anymore, because we have been locked out of our shops. We have been at home for 2 -weeks, doing nothing for a crime we did not comit.

Read also: Inside death chamber: How NAFDAC raided expired drug revalidation factories in Aba

“They said (NAFDAC) that they are looking for fake drugs, but we don’t sell fake drugs. We sell hair and beauty products. Ekumi is a mixed-market, it’s not specifically built for patent medicine dealers.

“They moved in here, due to the ongoing remodelling of A-Line, Ariaria International Market, which was their original space”, he stated

He appealed to NAFDAC officials to concentrate on their mission and allow other segments of the market that are doing legitimate business to continue with their businesses.

“So, we are calling on Governor Alex Otti- our ammiable Governor to intervene and ensure that this market is reopened, so that we can continue with our businesses”, Eze pleased.

Victor Uchechukwu, a dealer on hair accessories, appealed to Enyinaya Abaribe, Senator, representing Abia South and Alex Ikwechegh, member, representing Aba North/Aba South in the House of Representatives to intervene and ensure that the market is reopened for business

Uchechukwu, who is still in shock the manner NAFDAC shut the market, explained that they were not even informed about the operation.

He said, “We went home on Saturday after the days business, but when we returned Tuesday, we were not allowed into the market, by soldiers and we have been shutout of the market since then.

He said that hair sellers are not against the ongoing operations in the market, but appealed to NAFDAC to concentrate on the medicine line and allow other traders in the market to continue with their legitimate businesses.

“I can’t imagine why we will suffer for a crime we did not comit. We have families to take care of and if we don’t trade, how can we provide for our families?

Amarachi Chukwu, a mother, who sells hair products in the market explained that their are couples (Husband and Wife) in the market, who do not. have any other means of livelihood.

“Initially we thought that the NAFDAC operation will be for few days, we never knew it was going to last this long. It’s no longer funny.

“Some of us are in the same market with our husbands and so, I don’t know how they want us to feed our children, when our source of income have been closed.

She called on Governor Alex Otti, Director General of NAFDAC and Alex Ikwechegh, member representing Aba North/Aba South in the House of Representatives to come to their aid.