The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) in Edo State has called for stronger collaboration with patent medicine vendors to help fight drug abuse, describing them as key players in community health and drug control.
The appeal was made by the Commander of Narcotics, Mitchell Ofoyeju, during a one-day anti-drug abuse workshop organised for members of the National Association of Patent and Proprietary Medicine Dealers (NAPPMED), Edo State chapter. The event took place at the Indoor Sports Hall, Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium, Benin, and brought together about 2,154 participants from Edo South, alongside NDLEA officers and other stakeholders.
With the theme “Patent Medicine Vendors as Frontline Defenders: Ensuring Safe Medicines, Preventing Drug Abuse”, the workshop was designed to strengthen regulation and improve healthcare delivery at the community level.
Ofoyeju stressed the importance of collective action against substance abuse, stating, “We must unite to address the challenges of substance abuse and the illicit drug trade. When prescription drugs, psychoactive substances, and codeine-based cough syrups find their way into the wrong hands through unethical conduct, it can aggravate addiction, destroy families, and cripple the potential of our youth. The line between legitimate medicine and substance abuse is perilously thin. It is at this very junction that NAPPMED members stand as gatekeepers.”
He further noted that medicine vendors hold public trust and therefore have a major responsibility not just to sell drugs, but to protect society from abuse and misuse of medications.
According to him, challenges such as illegal diversion of prescription drugs, misuse of psychoactive substances, and profit-driven unethical practices are major drivers of drug problems in Edo State.
The workshop aimed to improve vendors’ understanding of drug laws, help them identify signs of drug abuse, promote ethical dispensing, and encourage them to report and prevent abuse cases.
He also clarified that the NDLEA is not against the vendors, saying, “We are not here to vilify but to collaborate. We recognise you as legitimate, caring business people who provide essential services. The NDLEA will not hesitate to arrest and prosecute any erring member who violates the rules of engagement.”
He added that the goal is to equip vendors with knowledge to protect their businesses and communities.
The state president of NAPPMED, Mrs Omueti Victoria, welcomed the initiative and pledged continued cooperation with regulatory bodies, noting that members will keep working to combat drug abuse.
The workshop aligns with the NDLEA’s broader strategy under Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (retd), focusing on education, enforcement, and community engagement to reduce drug abuse. Similar sessions are planned for other parts of Edo State to expand coverage.
