. may head to court soon
By Chuks Eke
A woman trader based at Onitsha Bridgehead market, Ms Okoye Sophia Eberechukwu has written a pre-action notice to the National Agency For Foods and Drugs Administration and Control, NAFDAC demanding a total sum of N22 million being the cost of goods allegedly looted from her shop by NAFDAC officials in collaboration with other security operatives during the recent mop up exercise at Onitsha Bridgehead drug market (Ogbo Ogwu).
She claimed that her shop was looted by both the NAFDAC officials and the security operatives they mounted within and around the Onitsha drug market during the two-month period of operation mop up exercise of unregistered, unwholesome, counterfeit, substandard and expired drugs in the market.
In the Pre-Action Notice written on her behalf by her legal counsel, Sir Ifeanyi Ejiofor Esq, (KSC), a human rights lawyer, Okoye Sophia Eberechukwu contended that during the mop up exercise at Ogbo Ogwu, NAFDAC allegedly gave free hands to the security operatives they engaged to protect them during the exercise, to loot peoples’ shops within and around the Ogbo Ogwu market and it’s periphery.
She further contended that her shop located at Shop 1, Ibese Line, Ogbo Ọgwu Bridgehead market was vandalized by these security operatives and goods worth millions of naira brazenly looted by them, adding that inventory of goods carted away from her shop and purchasing receipts of substantial part of the goods so looted indicating the prices they were bought and brands of the stolen items are herewith attached for ease of reference.
According to her lawyer, Ejiofor in the notice, “It is clear from the attached lists of the missing goods and purchasing receipts which clearly identified the goods carted away as mainly wears, shoes, belts and clothes, even when her goods have no affiliation, semblance or connection with drugs, neither is she trading on any type of drugs or even storing same in her shop”.
“Further emerged facts as clearly captured in a video clip taken by her clearly established that her shop was vandalized and carefully looted as no scintilla of evidence was available to suggest the discovery of incriminating substance or drugs in her shop, neither was she invited before her shop was burgled by those whose original mandate was to protect the shop”.
“It is heartbreaking to note that this mindboggling criminality happened during this period of crushing economic downturn, which has ostensibly placed her in a very difficult economic situation and we are not aware of any statutory provision or extant law(s) that empowered security operatives to break into citizen’s shop and steal therefrom”.
“It is against the backdrop of the foregoing that we will go to the court to ask for every legitimate step towards settlement of this verified value of the total goods carted away from her shop, to enable her return to her business”.
“Take notice therefore that if at the expiration of one month from the date of receipt of this letter and our foregoing demand is not met, we shall not hesitate to explore the appropriate legal remedy available to her in the prevailing circumstance”.
“May we also emphasize that this correspondence shall equally serve as a pre-action notice to NAFDAC, to validate any further legal action we may wish to take on her behalf whose details and particulars of claim have been sufficiently stated herein”.
“In anticipation of your expected co-operation in this regard, may the Director-General of NAFDAC accept the assurances of our deepest regard”.
Meantime, Ejiofor hinted that he has concluded arrangements to file an action at the Federal High Court, Awka by next week, if NAFDAC did not make any favourable response to this demand at the expiration of the one month ultimatum.
