The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has ordered the closure of the Gomboru drug market in Maiduguri following the devastating flood that contaminated the drugs.
In a statement on its X handle, NAFDAC revealed that the recent flooding submerged the market, leading to the contamination of drugs that were subsequently washed and sun-dried for resale.
“After the recent flooding in Maiduguri that submerged the Gomboru drug market where contaminated drugs were washed and sun-dried for resale, the @DGatNAFDAC ordered the immediate closure of the market to conduct a thorough shop-to-shop removal of these compromised drugs,” NAFDAC wrote.
The flood crisis in Maiduguri was triggered by the rupture of the Alau dam on the Ngadda River, located 20 kilometers south of the city. The severe flooding resulted in the loss of at least 30 lives and displaced over 400,000 people from their homes.
“The death toll is 30,” National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) spokesman Ezekiel Manzo told AFP.
“The situation in Maiduguri is quite frightening,” added Zubaida Umar, a NEMA colleague.
According to Umar, the flood has affected around 40 percent of the city, forcing people out of their homes and into displacement camps. NEMA estimates that over 23,000 households and 150,000 people were affected by the rising waters.
The flooding also had a significant impact on the local infrastructure. At least 286 inmates escaped from the Maiduguri Medium Security Custodial Centre, and the city’s zoo lost around 80 percent of its animals.
As NAFDAC continues its efforts to remove contaminated drugs from the Gomboru market, the flood-affected communities in Maiduguri are grappling with the aftermath of the disaster and seeking assistance from government agencies and humanitarian organizations.