Calabar Woman Sentenced to Eight Years for Running Illegal Pharmacies

The Federal High Court in Calabar has sentenced Ezea Kamchukwube to eight years in prison. She was found guilty of running two pharmacies in Calabar, Cross River State, without proper registration.

Ezea faced charges for operating pharmacies without registration and letting unqualified people sell drugs. This is against the Pharmacy Council of Nigeria (Establishment) Act, 2022.

The case was filed under Charge No: FHC/CA/76C/2025. It was between the Federal Republic of Nigeria and Ezea Kamchukwube.

On Monday, Justice Ijeoma Ojukwu delivered the judgement in Calabar. She found Ezea guilty of running "24 Hours Pharmaceuticals" along Marian Road and another pharmacy across from Kokoz Cosmetics Shop on Abang Asang Street, Etta-Agbor Road, Calabar.

Justice Ojukwu stated, “That you, Ezea Isidora Kamchukwube, female, adult, businesswoman, did practice in the capacity of a registered pharmacist, vendor and pharmaceutical representative while not being registered, contrary to Section 32(2) of the Pharmacy Council of Nigeria (Establishment) Act 2022.”

The judge mentioned that Pharmacy Council officials had sealed the two pharmacies after an inspection. But Ezea later reopened the shops and continued to operate.

The court ruled that her actions broke Sections 32(2), 54(1), 54(2) and 53(d) of the Pharmacy Council of Nigeria (Establishment) Act, 2022. As a result, she received an eight-year prison sentence.

Aliyu Okayode, a Deputy Director from the Federal Ministry of Justice in Abuja, represented the Federal Republic of Nigeria. He said the judgement aims to stop people from running pharmacies without proper registration.

“The charges of practicing pharmacy without proper registration and a license under the law were brought against her. That is why we are here. That is the charge before the court.

“We were able to establish before the court that she was indeed unregistered. And the court sentenced her for not complying,” he explained.

On the other hand, Ezea's lawyer, Ekpe Esor, did not want to comment. He also turned down requests for interviews from journalists in the court.