Tension heightened in Abuja on Thursday as members of Concerned Citizen for Change staged a protest at the Federal Ministry of Health, demanding the immediate removal of the Director-General of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Mojisola Christianah Adeyeye, over what they described as gross incompetence and abuse of public office.
The protesters, who laid siege to the ministry’s headquarters, accused the NAFDAC boss of unlawfully enforcing a ban on sachet alcohol and 200ml PET bottle alcoholic products, which they claimed contravenes existing national policy and directives.
Addressing journalists during the protest, the group’s Director, Kingsley Nwanze, described the enforcement as “hasty, obscure, and illegal,” alleging that it violates the National Alcohol Policy already approved by the Federal Ministry of Health.
According to him, the action also disregards a presidential directive restraining NAFDAC from disrupting affected businesses pending the outcome of deliberations by a joint committee of stakeholders.
“The decision is capable of triggering civil unrest, especially given the current economic climate,” Nwanze said. “It undermines the Renewed Hope agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and paints the government in a negative light.”
The group further argued that the ban contradicts resolutions of the House of Representatives, which had previously advised against such enforcement following consultations with industry stakeholders.
They warned that the policy could lead to massive job losses, disrupt livelihoods across the value chain, and open the market to illicit and unregulated alcoholic products, thereby reducing government revenue.
The protesters also dismissed claims that sachet alcohol promotes abuse among minors, insisting that smaller packaging discourages excessive consumption and that producers comply with regulatory standards.
They added that industry players have invested heavily in campaigns promoting responsible alcohol consumption, particularly to curb underage drinking.
While acknowledging the need to eliminate unsafe products from the market, the group maintained that regulatory actions must be guided by empirical evidence rather than sentiment.
The protest ended with a strong call on President Tinubu to “wield the big stick” by immediately removing Adeyeye from office, insisting that her continued stay is no longer in the public interest.
Security personnel were observed monitoring the situation to ensure order, as activities at the ministry were temporarily disrupted during the demonstration.