Dealers assault NAFDAC officials, policeman in Aba

DEALERS in fake alcoholic drinks at Eziukwu market in Aba on Wednesday assaulted staff of National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) and a police officer during a NAFDAC raid in the market.

The NAFDAC personnel had gone to raid the notorious Zone 15 housing producers of adulterated alcoholic drinks but were midway forced to retreat by the traders who pelted them with stones.

While the government officials were struggling to take out cartons of confiscated fake drinks, the traders threw stones which landed on one of them, dislocating his left shoulder disc.

Also, a police officer who helped to clear the road which the traders blocked was stoned on the head resulting in a sizeable swelling of the spot at the centre of his head.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the traders also broke the windshield of a new official Nissan van which the NAFDAC officials used for the raid.

Reacting to the development, the Chief Regulatory Officer of NAFDAC, Abia Office, Mr Olisa Okeke, told NAN that the traders were in the habit of attacking his men whenever they raided the market.

Okeke explained that the operated was necessitated by a complaint from a company producing alcoholic drinks that its products were being massively adulterated in that market.

He said that before the traders attacked his staff, they had forced open over 15 shops and destroyed assorted bottled drinks, chemicals and empty bottles used by the offenders.

Okeke said that over 30 cartons of assorted fake drinks, a bag of powdery chemical substance and some glass cups were confiscated from the dealers.

He called on the state governor, Dr Okezie Ikpeazu, and all people of goodwill to partner NAFDAC to ensure the forces of evil in the market did not triumph over the forces of good.

Okeke said that he would write a special report to the acting Director-General of NAFDAC to seek appropriate action which might include closing down the market.

He said that all the packaged products confiscated during the raid, including the ones destroyed, were worth about N15 million.