The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has accused controversial social media influencer, Very Dark Man (VDM), of inciting non-compliance among traders at the Onitsha Bridge Head drug market, following a series of regulatory enforcement actions by the agency.
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In a statement released on Monday, the Director General of NAFDAC, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, alleged that VDM posted videos encouraging traders to defy NAFDAC’s directives after the agency shut down multiple open drug markets across the country.
She warned that the influencer’s conduct may constitute a violation of Nigeria’s Cybercrime Act and urged security agencies to investigate the matter thoroughly.
“This type of incitement is not only irresponsible but dangerous. It threatens public health and undermines efforts to sanitize the nation’s drug distribution system,” Prof. Adeyeye said.
NAFDAC recently launched sweeping enforcement operations across major open drug markets in Idumota (Lagos), Ariaria (Aba), and Bridge Head (Onitsha), seizing and destroying banned, expired, and counterfeit pharmaceutical products valued at over ₦1 trillion.
“These markets lacked basic registration and failed to comply with Good Storage and Distribution Practices. Such conditions are breeding grounds for substandard and falsified drugs, which pose grave risks to millions of Nigerians,” the statement noted.
The Bridge Head Market in Onitsha, which reopened on March 9, now houses over 2,500 compliant traders. However, NAFDAC says a small group of defiant operators — some allegedly involved in the sale of banned narcotics — are resisting relocation to the newly designated Coordinated Wholesale Centres (CWCs), and are reportedly working with influencers to stoke public unrest.
“These non-compliant actors are merchants of death, attempting to use social media as a shield to escape accountability,” NAFDAC stated.
The agency reiterated that the CWCs are critical to ensuring regulatory oversight and curbing the circulation of counterfeit and harmful drugs.
Prof. Adeyeye called on security agencies to act swiftly, noting that NAFDAC would not relent in its mission to protect public health.
“All drugs, vaccines, and medical devices must meet strict safety and quality standards. We will continue to dismantle the illegal drug networks and ensure only safe and effective medicines are available to Nigerians,” she concluded.
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