Hoodlums launched an attack on officials from the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) on Monday during an enforcement operation targeting substandard drugs in Abuja.

The incident occurred during a raid at the Area 1 motor park, as reported by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).

The hoodlums confronted the enforcement officers, including mobile policemen, and vandalized the Agency’s vehicle by pelting it with stones, resulting in a broken windscreen.

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Police officers intervened by firing shots into the air and releasing tear gas to disperse the assailants, allowing journalists and NAFDAC officers to seek safety.

The team leader, Mr. Umar-Ahmed Suleiman, an Assistant Chief Regulatory Officer at NAFDAC, stated that the raid was based on intelligence indicating a high volume of substandard drugs being sold in the park.

Despite the attack, the enforcement team managed to seize a significant quantity of controlled drugs, including Rohypnol, Dizapam, Tramadol, Cocodamol, and various aphrodisiacs, along with codeine syrups, valued at over N5 million.