Disturbed by the increasing number of illegal drug outlets in Ekiti State, the Pharmacists Council of Nigeria (PSN) said it has sealed off 236 shops in the state. The council said, the raid conducted by the officers of the drug regulatory body was not meant to send people out of job or create unnecessary panic in the system, but to ensure compliance to rules, particularly on proper registration,  to safeguard the health of the Nigerian citizens. Speaking with journalists in Ado Ekiti weekend, the PCN Deputy Director and Head of Enforcement, Pharmacist   Stephen Esumobi, said out of 240 premises visited, only four were given a clean bill, describing the development as dangerous and inimical to the people’s wellbeing.

Esumobi revealed that they committed offences ranging from unauthorized sale of medicines, operating without the supervision of a pharmacist and poor storage and documentation facilities. He said the clarification over the allegation that the body was becoming too coercive became imperative in view of the protest staged against the closure of some medicine shops by Association of Drug dealers in Ado Ekiti last Thursday. “It surprised me that people had to protest in that manners and numbers. It shows that it was a premeditated action. We are not out to make life difficult for them, but to ensure compliance to simple rules. As a regulatory body, we cannot allow the sale of drugs that can kill innocent people.