Over 1,000 cosmetics and beauty accessory dealers at Ekumi Plaza in Aba, Abia State, have appealed to Governor Alex Otti and the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) to lift the seal on their shops.
The traders, who have been locked out of their business premises for over two weeks, claim they have no involvement in the sale of fake or expired drugs—the primary target of the NAFDAC operation. They insist their businesses are separate from the drug section within the plaza and that they are being unfairly punished.
Frustrated traders lamented the financial strain on their families, as many rely solely on their businesses for livelihood. They called on Hon. Alex Ikwecheghi, their House of Representatives member, to intervene.
NAFDAC, in collaboration with security forces, sealed the market as part of a nationwide crackdown on substandard drugs. However, affected traders argue that the agency should focus on actual offenders rather than shutting down unrelated businesses.
With school fees and daily expenses mounting, the traders are pleading for immediate government intervention to prevent further hardship.
