Compel NAFDAC to unseal our shops, patent medicine dealers beg court

The counsel representing the National Association of Patent Proprietary Medicine Dealers (NAPPMED), Abdulaziz Adam, yesterday told a Federal High Court in Kano that the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) had disregarded an interim order issued by the court, preventing NAPPMED members from accessing their shops.

This situation arose after NAFDAC sealed 1,321 medicine stores in Kano on Tuesday, February 20, following a court ruling directing patent medicine dealers to relocate to a coordinated wholesale centre at Dangwauro market. 

The judgment was delivered by Justice Simon Amobeda of the Federal High Court on February 16. 

Abdulaziz Adam, the lawyer representing NAPPMED, expressed concern that NAFDAC continued to harass their members despite the court’s interim order on March 19, which instructed all parties to maintain the status quo. 

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He said Justice Amobeda’s judgment did not direct the sealing of any shops. 

In response, counsel for NAFDAC, Chizoba Odanwu, explained that some shops were already sealed, and others were in the process of being sealed when the interim order was issued. 

Odanwu sought the court’s guidance on interpreting the status quo. 

Justice Muhammed Abdullahi Liman clarified that an interim order is intended to prevent further action rather than reverse actions already completed. 

Consequently, he granted an application from the respondents requesting an extension of time and scheduled arguments on the substantive matter for April 30.

The respondents in the case include the Pharmaceutical Council of Nigeria (PCN), NAFDAC, the Nigerian Army, the Commissioner of Police, the AIG Zone 1, and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps.