The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has accused social media influencer “Very Dark Man” of collaborating with dealers of fake drugs and inciting the public against the agency.
The allegations stem from a viral video showing the influencer among protesting traders at the Onitsha Bridge Head Market in Anambra State. In the video, traders claimed NAFDAC officials were demanding br+bes between N500,000 and N700,000 to reopen shops that were shut down during a crackdown on counterfeit and substandard dr¥gs.
However, NAFDAC’s Director General, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, refuted the claims in a statement, saying the market had already been reopened as of March 9, 2025. She explained that over 2,500 traders with 3,500 shops have resumed operations after complying with regulatory procedures. The shops that remain closed, she said, belong to owners who have not come forward and are linked to banned n@rcotics according to NAFDAC’s database.
Prof. Adeyeye added that, with support from state governments, traders were offered a moratorium period to move to a Coordinated Wholesale Centre where their activities can be better monitored and past violations addressed.
She described the viral video as misleading and warned that such incitement could breach the Cybercrime Act. NAFDAC urged the public and security agencies to take note.
The agency further alleged that the influencer encouraged people to defy regulatory processes, potentially obstructing lawful enforcement actions carried out under the directive of the Office of the National Security Adviser. NAFDAC stated it would leave law enforcement to determine whether the influencer’s actions amount to a criminal offense.
