The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has warned Martins Otse, popularly known as VeryDarkMan (VDM), against inciting traders at the Onitsha Bridge Head Market against the agency.
The Director General of NAFDAC, Prof Mojisola Adeyeye, in a statement on Monday, said VDM shared videos online encouraging traders to resist the agency’s directives.
She warned that such action could constitute a violation of the Cybercrime Act and called on security agencies to investigate the matter.
NAFDAC recently carried out a series of enforcement operations between February and March 2025 at the three major open drug markets in Nigeria, which include Idumota in Lagos, Aba in Abia, and the Onitsha drug market in Anambra.
The agency said the markets were operating without proper registration or adherence to good storage practices and creating a serious threat to public health. Some of the markets were shut at the time.
Meanwhile, VDM, in a recent viral video, alleged that NAFDAC staff asked the traders at Ogbogwu market to pay the sum of N700,000 to have their shops reopened.
In the video, he stated that he had never been to Onitsha, but that alleged extortion and stealing by NAFDAC officials prompted his visit to the state. He noted that he has come to call NAFDAC out but to stop such evil acts.
“I have never been here before, a very important thing has brought me here. What brought me here is what I call extortion and stealing from NAFDAC, and I want to call them out so that they will stop. For what you people are doing here are evil.”
He further stated that, according to the traders, over 5000 shops were closed by the agency on the basis that they sell fake drugs.
He added that after three months, NAFDAC tasked the traders to pay the sum of N500,000 to have their shops opened, and later increased the levy to N700,000 after two weeks.
Quoting VDM, “NAFDAC, my question is this, the N700,000 fine imposed on the traders, is it a guarantee to continue to produce fake drugs? Again, if they truly carried fake drugs, where are the people you caught? Are you not supposed to prosecute them while the people with genuine drugs continue their businesses?”
In response, the agency said they would not want to be dragged into any controversy with the social influencer.
“We would not want to be dragged into any controversy with the social influencer. All I can say is that some life-threatening infractions were committed by some people in the drug markets. We are all witnesses to what transpired at the three major drug markets in Aba Idumota and Onitsha,” the agency said.
It also added that the drug markets were reopened on March 9, 2025, following NAFDAC’s regulatory interventions.
According to the agency, over 2,500 traders have since complied with its requirements. It, however, noted that a minority reportedly linked to banned substances have refused to comply and are allegedly collaborating with online influencers to stir public opposition and undermine regulatory enforcement
“Over 2,500 marketers, however, approached the agency for necessary regulatory procedures and resumed their normal business activity in the market.”
“It is pertinent to note that the remaining few shops whose owners have refused to come forward for identification are the ones with outrightly banned narcotics according to our database. The cartel, along with their co-conspirators, are the ones creating incitements to divert attention from the real issues to escape the long arm of the law for the heinous crimes being committed against humanity.
“We are a science-oriented regulatory agency, and our actions are guided by the laws that established the agency. The management has not done anything contrary to the law, and its actions are in tandem with the mandate of the agency.”
