Kaduna: Enough of the Harassment, Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria tells NDLEA
… calls for government intervention
Zainab Tanimu
Kaduna, Northwest Nigeria
The Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria, Kaduna Branch has called on the Federal government to intervene in the constant harassment of its members by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, (NDLEA).
The Presidency and National Assembly it pleads should as a matter of urgency do something as such incessant harassment is jeopardizing their cooperate existence.
This call was made during a press conference held at their office premises Gold Coast road on Friday, where they protested to drive home their demands.
Members of the Nigeria Pharmaceutical Society Protesting over NDELA ‘s frequent harassments.
Addressing journalists, the Chairman, Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria
Kaduna state branch, Pharm. Sunday Ali Okoh on behalf of the group enumerated instances whereby their members had to go through what they described as unacceptable treatments.
Lamenting, giving a recent incidence. “NDLEA wrongfully arrest our members. The recent one even published in one of the dailies.
“Of course they have released the person in question after some days. After persistence follow-up trying to let them know that the person was a pharmacist but already they have disgraced him. We even learnt later that his name had been published, that he was caught with some control drugs. With ridiculous volume. This is unacceptable.”
“All over the planet Earth, the rights to medications (life) are fundamental, it is worthy note that pharmacists are licensed to import, export, mix, compound, prepare, dispense, counsel, sell, procure and distribute drugs and poisons, (PCN Established act 2022,).
He said most times, this is not the case because times without number, “the NDLEA has unduly, illegally and unprofessionally obstructed and hinder these life saving roles only to feather their nest, exploit Nigerians, collect bribes and force their victims to give assent that bail is free after collecting millions of Naira.
“Law enforcement agents have become law breakers. What a shame! Enough is enough NDLEA. Allow pharmacists to do their work. The group sounded.
Responding to whether there is internal mechanism put in place by the society to discipline any member that aired? He said the products are prescription drugs as such they ensure that members dispense such drugs on prescription. Pharmacists he explained have record book. Not only that, “we keep copies of those prescriptions. Pharmacists council also pays regular visits to check those records and if your own is not correct, you will be in for it.” He said.
In his lamentation,
“the challenge we are facing is that once NDLEA enters any of the premises, they do not give room for proper investigation before snapping and publishing it. NDLEA needs to be called to order.
“If they carry out proper investigation and establish that the transaction is illegal, that the pharmacist did not buy from the right source or he is found distributing to illegal route, fine. But that is not the situation. They bust into your premises armed, and they pick you up. So you can’t even resist. This is our challenge. They have not completed their investigation and they are already snapping you and publishing it.
There were occasions whereby the leadership of both PSN and NDLEA met to resolve issues but no fruitful results as in most cases, they say, investigation is ongoing.
“Our demands are, we are pharmacists. We have what we call law and ethics. We make sure we maintain what we were taught in the school. We are saying let the harassment stop.
“We call on the national assembly and the presidency to curtail the essence of the NDLEA in Kaduna state. He added.
Adding his voice, the Secretary, Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria, Kaduna state branch, Pharm. Pharm. Mansir Alidu,
called on relevant stakeholders, the likes of national assembly to listen to the plight of pharmacists in Kaduna state and the nation at large. “Enough is enough, we are supposed to have the right to practice freely without impeaching on our fundamental human rights as citizens of the federal Republic of Nigeria.
“Our profession is guided by ethics. We have our code of conduct.
We took an oat to serve mankind and that oat is till eternity. So, there is no point whereby you bust into anybody’s premises that has all his documents, the permit to practice as a pharmacist, and you just confiscate him and his premises because you are ignorant of the law.
The cardinal objective of this society, pharmaceutical society of Nigeria is to bring up a group of professionals, pharmacists that will cater for the welfare of the people and uplift the profession.
“We are guided by laws including, the NAFDAC law which we are not ignorant of. We are aware of the statutory roles of each regulatory body and enforcement body. So, we are not saying that our colleagues that are found wanting should be spared. All we are saying is that, once there is a pharmacist, a professional that has all his documents, that gives him the rights to practice, there is no any course for any NDLEA to harass, or confiscate their commodities.
“We have tried severally to dialogue with them. (NDLEA) We have gone to them. We are partners in the fight against drugs abuse in Nigeria and the world at large.
“Quite alright, NDLEA has the right by law to go into premises but it has to be done with caution and within the rules of law. He stressed.
