Onitsha, Anambra State – Traders in Onitsha are currently facing significant financial distress following the prolonged closure of six major markets in the area by security operatives.
The shutdown, which has lasted over two weeks, was enforced under the guise of clamping down on fake and expired drug dealers.
Reports indicate that Nigerian security operatives took control of the markets, locking up every shop without prior notice. The affected markets include the Onitsha Drug Market, Oduwani (Power Tools and Allied) Market, Surgical Line Market, Plumbing Materials Market, the Ogbogwu Fashion Line Market, the Bridgehead Provision Market, and a section of the Timber Dealers Market.
The operation was reportedly carried out at the request of the National Agency for Food Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), which sought military intervention in its crackdown on counterfeit drug dealers.
Many traders at the Head Bridge Market expressed frustration over the government’s handling of the situation, emphasizing that the sweeping closure has adversely impacted their legitimate businesses.
Michael Okoh, a trader, lamented the abrupt nature of the shutdown, stating that the authorities took them unaware, leaving some traders with cash locked in their drawers. He noted that many people rely on daily earnings to feed their families and were not given time to prepare for the situation.
While acknowledging the need to combat fake and substandard drugs, Okoh urged the authorities to expedite the process and allow traders to resume business.
He expressed support for confiscating illicit drugs but called for the operation to be conducted swiftly to minimize economic disruption.
A market union executive at the Head Bridge Drug Market, who preferred to remain anonymous, alleged that Onitsha traders were being unfairly targeted.
He revealed that the trade union had a scheduled meeting to address concerns and that reports indicated an extension of the market closure. He further claimed that although other markets in Aba and Lagos faced similar crackdowns, Onitsha appeared to be the primary focus.
The union executive pointed out that the acting market trade union chairman was not pushing the matter effectively and that neither the state governor nor the local government chairman had visited the market. He mentioned that Peter Obi and Senator Tony Nwonye had visited the traders, while a commissioner sent by the governor was turned away. Expressing concerns about traders’ losses, he noted that security forces were breaking into shops and carting away goods without proper documentation or transparency.
Former Labour Party presidential candidate and ex-Governor of Anambra State, Peter Obi, criticized the prolonged market closures, describing them as excessive and unjustified. He stated that while he condemned illicit drug trading and supported necessary government measures to combat it, the closure of adjacent markets unrelated to the drug trade was unfair and negatively impacted the livelihoods of millions of people.
He called for the immediate reopening of markets that were not directly involved, emphasizing that shutting down the Rod, Allied and Tools Market, Plumbing Materials Market, Timber Market, Surgical Market, and Provision Market, along with Ogbo Ogwu Market, was unnecessary and harmful to the economy.
Obi also questioned the transparency of the operation, urging NAFDAC to conduct searches in the presence of shop owners to prevent undue losses. He emphasized that the current approach should be reconsidered to avoid unnecessary hardship on traders, their families, and the state’s economy.
The International Society for Civil Liberties and Rule of Law (Intersociety) has condemned the security forces’ militarized approach, calling for the immediate reopening of the affected markets and compensation of N20 billion for traders’ losses.
In a statement signed by its Board Chairman, Emeka Umeagbalasi, Intersociety urged NAFDAC to reconsider its tactics and refrain from militarizing law enforcement operations. The group also called on Anambra State Governor, Charles Soludo, to intervene urgently and facilitate the reopening of the markets.
Intersociety further warned against breaking into traders’ shops in their absence, describing such actions as misconduct that could lead to lawsuits against NAFDAC and the Nigerian Army.
Dr. Nduka Odo, a Public Affairs Analyst and Communication Scholar at Peaceland University, Enugu, emphasized the economic consequences of the market closures. He stated that while fighting fake drugs is crucial, shutting down entire market areas was an overreaction.
He noted that millions of people depend on these markets for their daily income and questioned the impact on traders who sell genuine products. He argued that a more targeted approach should be adopted to avoid harming innocent business owners.
With businesses at a standstill and thousands of traders counting their losses, affected stakeholders continue to call for urgent action. Many insist that while regulatory enforcement is necessary, it must be conducted fairly and transparently to prevent innocent traders from suffering unjustly.
As the situation unfolds, traders and economic observers are closely watching how the federal and state governments will respond to their grievances and calls for economic relief.