₦airaland Forum

Court backs Pharmacy Council as illegal drug shop owners lose rights case in Calabar crackdown

A Federal High Court in Calabar has dismissed a fundamental rights suit filed against the Pharmacy Council of Nigeria (PCN) and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), in a case tied to the sealing of two alleged illegal drug stores during a regulatory operation in Cross River State.

The suit, filed by Ezea Asidora and others under FHC/CA/FHR/39/2025, challenged the enforcement action carried out on March 10 and March 18, 2025, arguing that the closure of their shops amounted to a violation of their constitutional rights.

But the court ruled otherwise.

Delivering judgment, Justice Ijeoma Ojukwu held that the applicants failed to provide sufficient evidence to prove that their fundamental rights were breached. The court stated that regulatory agencies acted within their mandate after suspecting that the operators were not properly registered or licensed under the Pharmacy Council of Nigeria Act.

According to the court, the burden of proof rested on the applicants, and on the materials presented, the claims could not stand.

“The applicants have failed to establish the violation of their rights, and the suit is dismissed,” the judge ruled.

The court further emphasized the importance of regulatory enforcement in protecting public health, especially in the pharmaceutical sector where unlicensed operations can pose serious risks.

The matter is however not fully concluded, as the court adjourned a related criminal case, FRN v. Ezea Asidora (FHC/CA/76C/2025), to June 1 and ordered that the defendant be produced for continuation of proceedings.

The ruling highlights Nigeria’s ongoing clampdown on illegal drug distribution and the legal backing now being reinforced around pharmaceutical regulation and enforcement actions.

Source:
https://thesun.ng/court-throws-out-rights-suit-challenging-regulatory-crackdown-on-drug-stores/

We need more of this to crack down illegal medicine vendors.

Once you have money to open a drug store, you be pharmacist. Just employ one nurse put

Hmmmm. I am in support of this. Health comes first and needs to be properly regulated

Health is life and it's not supposed to be compromised in the name of business.

They should go round, many of these stores should be locked
Health is wealth

Dpharmacist:
Court backs Pharmacy Council as illegal drug shop owners lose rights case in Calabar crackdown

The matter is however not fully concluded, as the court adjourned a related criminal case, FRN v. Ezea Asidora (FHC/CA/76C/2025), to June 1 and ordered that the defendant be produced for continuation of proceedings.


Source:
https://thesun.ng/court-throws-out-rights-suit-challenging-regulatory-crackdown-on-drug-stores/[/i]

The matter is however not fully concluded, as the court adjourned a related criminal case, FRN v. Ezea Asidora (FHC/CA/76C/2025), to June 1 and ordered that the defendant be produced for continuation of proceedings.

This is the koko.

They will be convicted and likely be sentenced to jail

bamvik:
Once you have money to open a drug store, you be pharmacist. Just employ one nurse put

open am first, na that time U go know say difference dey between khaki and leather

It's the audacity of these criminals for me!
The court must ensure to sentence the Ezea guy to many years in jail to serve as deterrent to others!

PCN should also seriously beam their searchlights in Enugu so as to restore sanity in the pharmaceutical sector in the state which is currently in chaos!

One of most underrated profession is pharmacy,most of the pharmacy shops in Ogbomoso nine out of ten is controlled by these quacks,they are so rich to an extent that they don't allow original pharmacists to practice,it is rather unfortunate,the pharmacy council must stand up to do the needful

Selling medical drugs is a professional job ment for the medical professionals.

Bakinson234:
One of most underrated profession is pharmacy,most of the pharmacy shops in Ogbomoso nine out of ten is controlled by these quacks,they are so rich to an extent that they don't allow original pharmacists to practice,it is rather unfortunate,the pharmacy council must stand up to do the needful

This is scary to see. Once they have money they think they can do anything.

This current PCN registrar need to step up his games! Enforcement exercises has slowed down unlike when Pharm Elijah Muhammed was the PCN registrar! Then PCN carried out enforcement exercises all year-round ensuring that all the 36 states and FCT are covered before the year runs out!

I don't understand this Babashehu Ahmed yet o. Enforcement exercises need to be stepped up especially in the southeast where the illiterate medicine vendors believe they can do anything without regulations!

I think this is crazy.... why aren't the illegal operators charged? Illegal and going to court to defend the illegality.

Chemist shops dey get money?

Bakinson234:
One of most underrated profession is pharmacy,most of the pharmacy shops in Ogbomoso nine out of ten is controlled by these quacks,they are so rich to an extent that they don't allow original pharmacists to practice,it is rather unfortunate,the pharmacy council must stand up to do the needful

Pious101:
open am first, na that time U go know say difference dey between khaki and leather

Nothing dey happen, people wey no go school even get hospital