The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has officially reported popular activist and social media influencer, Martins Otse, also known as VeryDarkMan, to security agencies for alleged inciting and misleading statements linked to its recent operations in Onitsha, Anambra State.
In a statement released on Monday, May 26, NAFDAC Director General Prof. Mojisola Adeyeyé accused the influencer of spreading false information that could provoke public resistance against lawful enforcement actions.
The controversy follows a viral video in which VeryDarkMan claimed that NAFDAC operatives demanded N700,000 from affected traders to reopen their shops after a raid on Bridge Head Market. The agency described the remarks as “deliberately misleading and dangerous” warning that such claims may violate the Cybercrime Act.
“What this perpetrator has done is openly tell his audience to defy NAFDAC’s regulatory processes,” said Prof. Adeyeye. “We have alerted law enforcement for appropriate action.”
NAFDAC stressed that its recent operations — including raids in Idumota (Lagos), Ariaria (Aba), and Onitsha — aimed to remove **fake, banned, and unregistered drugs from the market. These activities led to the seizure of counterfeit medicines worth over ₦1 trillion between February 9 and March 27, 2025.
According to Prof. Adeyeye, many shops in the targeted markets failed to meet basic regulatory standards and lacked proof of product registration. The agency insisted that its actions were part of a larger mission to protect public health, reduce maternal and child mortality, and improve life expectancy in Nigeria.
NAFDAC also confirmed that Bridge Head Market was reopened on March 9, 2025, after thorough inspection, and over 2,500 traders resumed operations under strict compliance.
“Those inciting resistance are working with cartels dealing in banned narcotics,” said Adeyeye, urging the public not to be misled by online rhetoric.
The agency reaffirmed its commitment to enforcing laws, especially the Counterfeit and Fake Drugs Act, and emphasized that it will continue to work with law enforcement to prosecute violators
