A Federal High Court in Calabar has sentenced a woman, Ezea Isidora Kamchukwube, to eight years in prison for unlawfully operating pharmaceutical businesses and permitting unqualified individuals to dispense medications in Cross River State.
The judgment was delivered by Justice Ijeoma Ojukwu, who found the defendant guilty of multiple violations of the Pharmacy Council of Nigeria (PCN) Act 2022, including operating pharmaceutical premises without the required registration and authorization.
Court proceedings revealed that Kamchukwube managed two pharmaceutical outlets in Calabar—one located on Marian Road and another along Etta Agbor Road without obtaining the necessary approval from the Pharmacy Council of Nigeria.
Evidence presented before the court also showed that regulatory officials had previously sealed the premises during an enforcement exercise. Despite the closure, the defendant reportedly removed the seals and continued business operations in defiance of regulatory directives.
Justice Ojukwu ruled that the actions constituted serious breaches of the law governing pharmaceutical practice and the operation of medicine outlets in Nigeria.
Reacting to the verdict, Aliyu Okayode, Deputy Director at the Federal Ministry of Justice, described the conviction as a significant step in enforcing compliance within the pharmaceutical sector. He noted that the prosecution established beyond reasonable doubt that the defendant was neither registered nor licensed to engage in pharmacy practice.
The case underscores ongoing efforts by regulatory authorities to eliminate illegal drug outlets and strengthen oversight of medicine distribution across the country.
Health professionals have consistently warned that the sale and dispensing of medicines by unqualified individuals pose significant risks to public health, including treatment complications, adverse drug reactions, antimicrobial resistance, and preventable fatalities.
