Some touts, together with angry drug hawkers in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, on Monday attacked officials of the Investigation and Enforcement Directorate of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), News About Nigeria reports.
Confirming the incident, the Assistant Chief Regulatory Officer, Investigation and Enforcement Directorate, Federal Task Force, NAFDAC, Umar Suleiman revealed that two of the agency’s vehicles were vandalised by the angry mob during the attack.
While speaking on what happened to newsmen, Suleiman stated that the team was on a raid to get rid of fake, unregistered, and counterfeit drugs at the Area One motor park of the FCT when they were attacked.
According to him, during the enforcement exercise by the NAFDAC team, the hawkers and touts at the park began to throw stones and other dangerous objects at the team and journalists who were with them.
Suleiman further noted that it was through the intervention of the mobile police who threw tear gas and shot sporadically into the air that they were able to chase the mob while the team was thankfully able to escape unhurt.
He also noted that despite the attack, they were able to seize drugs worth N5m during the raid.
He also listed some of the drugs confiscated by the NAFDAC team, to among others include, Rohypnol, Dizapam, Tramadol (500mg and 225mg), Cocodamol, and aphrodisiac.
Speaking further, he noted that the attack is a normal thing for them working in the investigation and enforcement department of the NAFDAC but they would not relent in the fight against fake and counterfeit drugs which is why they usually work with security agencies.
Suleiman also lauded the Department of State Security (DSS) noting that the raid was done because of the intelligence from them on the activities of drug hawkers at the motor park.
