Thursday, June 4, 2026

The Sun Nigeria

Court throws out rights suit challenging regulatory crackdown on drug stores

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From Aniekan Aniekan, Calabar

A Federal High Court in Calabar has dismissed a fundamental rights suit against the Pharmacy Council of Nigeria, PCN, and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC, over the closure of two drug stores in Calabar last year.

The suit, marked FHC/CA/FHR/39/2025, was filed by Ezea Asidora and others. They alleged rights abuse after officials sealed their stores during an operation on March 10 and 18, 2025.

The stores were reportedly unsealed by the applicants, which prompted the institution of a criminal case against those involved in a separate case marked FHC/CA/76C/2025: FRN v. Ezea Asidora.

Dismissing the fundamental rights suit, Justice Ijeoma Ojukwu said the burden of proof lay with those claiming their rights were violated.

“The respondents invited the applicants based on their belief that the applicants are not registered pharmacists and have no license to operate under the PCN Act,” she said. “Based on the preponderance of evidence before me, the applicant has failed to establish the violation of their rights, and the suit is dismissed.”

The court also adjourned ruling on the criminal case, marked FHC/CA/76C/2025, to June 1 and ordered the defendant to be produced in court.