FG To Ban ‘Date Molestation Drug’

The federal government is set to ban the sale of rohypnol, otherwise known clinically as Flunitrazepam, a sedative with hypnotic effect that was used to lull late Miss Cynthia Osokogu to complacency while she was gang Molested and later killed.

About two months ago four accused persons, Okwumo Echezona Nwabufo (33), Ejike Ilechukwu Olisaeloka (23), Orji Osita (32) and Maduakor Chukwunonso (25) were paraded by the police in Lagos for the murder of Osokogu.

Later two of them, Nwabufor and Olisaeloka told the police about how they met, drugged and strangled the
victim in order to steal her money.

Minister of Health, Prof. Onyebuchi Chukwu told State House correspondents Wednesday at the end of the weekly Federal Excutive Council (FEC) meeting in Abuja that the decision was informed by the need to curb the disastrous use of the drug, which has also been banned in some countries where it was used for similar purposes.

Also described as a ‘date Molestation drug’, rohypnol is sold over the counter in many countries across the globe.

Act No. 43 of 1989 which established the National Drug Formulary and Essential Drugs List empowers it to prohibit importation into and manufacture in Nigeria of any drug not on the List.

Prof. Chukwu said his ministry has directed the National Drug Formulary and Essential Drug List Committee to look into the possibility of banning the drug or otherwise.

According to the minister: “I have directed the appropriate body which is the National Drug Formulary and Essential Drug List Committee, which is established by a separate law in this country to immediately look into whether we should ban the drug or not.”

He explained that this decision is informed by the fact that “in some countries, that drug has now been banned and it was also for similar reason (Molestation) that those countries decided to ban that particular drug.”