Cynthia's murder: Press release from the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria | Welcome to Linda Ikeji's Blog

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Friday, 31 August 2012

Cynthia's murder: Press release from the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria

This concerns the two pharmacists arrested in connection with Cynthia Osokogu's murder. Read it below
The Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN) joins millions of Nigerians to empathize with the family of the late Cynthia Osokogu who was lured by friends she met on facebook to Lagos where she was brutalized and eventually killed.
We also commend the Nigeria Police for the professional investigation that led to the arrest of the two young men who admitted openly to have committed the heinous crime.

The Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN) is interested in a diligent and focused investigation of this murder which continues to attract so much interest from Nigerians to the extent that all found culpable will be made to face the full weight of the law, while innocent people are not unjustly arraigned, prosecuted and punished.

We note with concern the arraignment of two young Pharmacists who were charged along with the confessed suspects for rape, armed robbery, murder and administering of obnoxious substances. These are weighty charges that reflect the gravity of the offences that led to the death of this promising lady. We at Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN) indeed perceive this loss as a great one to the Osokogus, friends, colleagues and all Nigerians.

The PSN after a critical appraisal of all issues at stake wishes to reflect thus:
1) Pharmacists as responsible professionals and as legitimate custodians of medicines would continue to champion safe, responsible and rational use of medicines in Nigeria. Our projects and programmes in the last few years have always been geared towards the promotion of safe use of medicines. Having said this, it is important to realize that all medicines are poisons with inherent tendencies for abuse and misuse. Pharmacists have always exercised due diligence, caution and professional judgment in dispensing and sales of medicines. But beyond this, it is difficult to know what a person intends to do or does with the medicine after purchase especially for a premeditated criminal act that involved use of chains, padlocks, tape and other dangerous weapons.

Information available to us indicate:
a. Pharmacist Chukwunonso Maduakor was on duty in Oxpharm in the morning of Monday August 20, 2012. A gentleman approached him and requested to buy Rohypnol. Nonso asked him for a prescription and he said he does not have one. The gentleman begged and pleaded with him that he really needed it with paracetamol. Pharm. Nonso considered his request on compassionate grounds and dispensed to him one (1) card of 10 tablets of flunitrazapam along with one (1) card of Paracetamol. The gentleman goes out of the pharmacy, and then came in again with other persons, arrested Nonso and accused him of selling drug without prescription. They then took him to the Police station, he made statement and was detained for six (6) days in Festac Police Area Command. On the 7th day they transferred him to Panti from where he was taken to a Magistrate Court and was charged for conspiracy, murder, armed robbery, rape and administering obnoxious substances to Miss Cynthia Osokogu who was killed by two known persons a month earlier in July 2012.

b. The second Pharmacists, Pharm. Osita Orji is a Locum Pharmacist with Oxpharm and works evening shifts. The police visited Oxpharm on 21 August 2012 and requested to see Osita. When he got to the station, they alleged that he was the Pharmacist on duty when the suspected killer of Cynthia claimed they bought Rohypnol from Oxpharm. Osita made statement that he did not know the murderers, could not recall meeting them or selling Rohypnol to them and if they ever bought the Rohypnol from him while on duty that they must have presented him with a prescription. Osita was detained in Festac Police Area Command for two (2) days, then transferred to Panti from where he was taken to a Magistrate Court and charged

2) If the liability of the two pharmacists is limited to the sales or alleged sales of rohypnol to clients they do not know and never collaborated with in this condemnable crime then it is logical to believe that at best there might have been breaches of professional ethics. The law provides that such matters are dealt with by the Pharmacists Council of Nigeria a regulatory agency of the Federal Government established by Cap. P.17 LFN 2004.

3) The drug in question Rohypnol is an intermediate acting benzodiazepam similar to diazepam (valium), nitrazepam (swidon) and bromazepam (lexotan).

Rohypnol is the brand name of the medicine flunitrazepam and is one of the benzodiazepine class of sedatives or tranquilizer drugs, of which valium or diazepam is perhaps the best known. It is used in the management of anxiety and sleep disorders (short term treatment of insomnia).

Rohypnol is made by Roche in Switzerland, registered with NAFDAC (Reg. No: 04 ? 0150) and distributed in Nigeria by Swipha Nigeria Ltd. It is not a rare drug as being reported. It is available in Nigeria.

4) The Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN) counsels Nigerians to monitor the use of internet facilities by youths and children particularly because of volume and nature of information available.

5) We urge the Office of the Director of Public Prosecution in the Ministry of Justice in Lagos State to immediately review the cases of these pharmacists with a view to advising the relevant authorities on how best to tackle this matter and to ensure that the innocent is not persecuted albeit unjustly.

CONCLUSION
Gentlemen of the Press, the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN) assures Nigerians that it will continue to work with stakeholders including relevant regulatory agencies to evolve a National Strategy that will improve the use of medicines in Nigeria. In line with this, the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN) has dedicated September 25, 2012 to continue the dialogue on safe medicines by collaborating with the National Human Rights Commission, Regulatory Agencies, Media and other stakeholders.

One of the salient lessons inherent in the discourse is that our youth while trusting must verify the relationship they make through the social media given the abuse potential.

Once again, we offer our heartfelt condolences to the entire Osokogu family. We pray that God will grant the family the fortitude to bear this loss.

Thank you.

Azubike Okwor FPSN,FPCPHARM,FFIP
President
August 30, 2012

106 comments:

  1. The police should be careful with their investigations and quest for justice.wat proof do they have that the pharmacists are conspirators???

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  2. Are the pharmacists gonna be released? Coz I didn't get that part from the very long speech.

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  3. well truth be told the pharmacist have no idea what the durgs was meant for since it could be used for anxiety and sleeping disorder but trust police na dem just like to arrest without using their brain .those guys should be released because it could be anybody cos we are not entirely follow due proccess at work atleast it would be a lesson for the pharmacist .its high time police/court stop convicting people and sentenciong them with crimes they no nothing about.if they have to be convicted it should be for the right reason.

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  4. well truth be told the pharmacist have no idea what the durgs was meant for since it could be used for anxiety and sleeping disorder but trust police na dem just like to arrest without using their brain .those guys should be released because it could be anybody cos we are not entirely follow due proccess at work atleast it would be a lesson for the pharmacist .its high time police/court stop convicting people and sentenciong them with crimes they no nothing about.if they have to be convicted it should be for the right reason.

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  5. "..........with NAFDAC (Reg. No: 04 ? 0150)...."

    A so called Professional Organization does not know or can't be bothered to find out the accurate registration number of its members?

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    1. Anon 8:40am...na wa oh...dis whole write-up addressing a serious issue, na dat fault u go find...take it easy abeg.

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    2. When did pharmacists start having NAFDAC No.why don't u read well before u criticize?

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    3. Nigeria no get law if not such drug must be based on doctors prescription and nothing more.d pharmacist shld be fined only but only after a thorough investigation is done to make such dat these pharmacists and d killers are not friends .if they know themselves before now then they know what d guys were doing wit d drugs

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  6. While I felt the pain of the Osokogus, we must exercise restrained in administering justice. As long as those 2 murderers did not rope both Pharmacists in as an accomplice, but that they merely trick them in buying the drug, then, their case should be treated separately.

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  7. Heart felt condolences to the Okosogus, but these two young pharmacists should been charge for selling drugs without doctors prescription and not for murder...Pls let raise our voice for these two promising naija youths not that we are supporting murder but truth must be said

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  8. Well written.Pharm Nonso is a Godfearing youngman nd was jst a victim of circumstance.the 2evil goons who killed an innocent person shld receive their due punishment!if anything,the pharmacists r guilty of professional misconduct nd not exactly rape nd murder.prosecute d real criminals!

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  9. Nw dis makes a lot of sense

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  10. Well written... The pharmacist myt hv bn ignorant when selling but if dey didnt collabo in d murder, d judge should tender justice wit mercy on dem

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  11. Naija na wa o... its only the faces of the pharmacists that are posted everywhere...the main culprits remain faceless profiles. how many people really buy drugs at the local pharmacy with prescription? God help us o...

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    1. God bless you. My dad own a pharmacy store and I can say out of 100percent,only 85percent buys drug with prescription

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    2. You are very observant my dear. Do u know that I've wondered same thing too. I buy drugs too from d pharmacy and no one there has ever asked me for a prescription. Let's see d real murderers and not d pharmacists abeg!

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  12. So sad. This is the wahala you get for being compassionate to fellow Nigerians

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  13. Very Professional. Well written. I kinda agree. Unless the police can prove that they actually conspired with the killers to commit murder the facts are baseless and cannot hold water.

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  14. I tire o wetin concern pharmacist wey dey sell medicine? Was he suppose to follow him home to know what the buyer wanted to use the drug 4 ni??

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  15. The pharmacist in question is innocent. www.jobeater.com

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  16. I am so glad the PSN took this step, Nigeria is indeed working.

    We must insist on the truth in this matter so that innocent people are not condemned with criminals.

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  17. Hah! Lynda, can you jst imagine this. Never knew this was how the whole event was and I've been busy aiming curses at these young pharmacist. May God help dem out of this predicament...but then those of us in the medical line should be more cautious in disgharging our duties towards saving lives.... Reminds me of Michael jackson's Doctor?!

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  18. All this time, i have been under the impression that the pharmacists actively colluded with the accused persons to commit the crime but if the statement by PSN is accurate then it is another sad example of the ineptitude of the Nigerian police! The total lack of investigative procedure in this counrty is appalling and the police are more interested in how much money they can make off a case than actually solving the case. Sad, sad, sad!!!

    Secondly, I am unaware of any legislation in Nigeria against dispensing medication without a prescription. Unlike a lot of other countries where it is a criminal offence to dispense certain drugs over the counter without a prescription, I believe (though i stand to be corrected) that in naija it is only drugs that contain narcotic substances that are regulated.

    Of course the police, seeing that they have nothing to charge the pharmacists with have lumped them together with the suspected killers.

    I really hope the PSN or even the pharmacists involved would institute legal action against the police for wrongful imprisionment, harrassment and/or unlawful prosection and sue them for damages!

    Money is the only langueage the police understands so when Nigerians start to hit them where it hurts they will begin to realize that harrassing innocent nigerians in a venture which is too expensive for them

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  19. Linda wish me happy birthday o am 21 today...my name is Alero Oyinda Thomas...it would b my best b.day gift

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    1. Happy birthday darling!muahh! From sister linda.

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    2. Mumu no go sleep.. Here na birthday party????

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    3. Must γφυ insult her,funny enof γφυ are the mumu here with Ў☺ΰr name. Idiot... Nellyzone

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    4. Dopeskin u re a bonafied fool...oloshi idumota kindly shut up and go sleep in a coffin...

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  20. Wow!! I am impressed.... Sad abt the death of the lady in question:-( But I think this pharmacists shud be given a break...

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  21. To be honest, this makes sense. Yes, the pharmacists are guilty of selling drugs without prescriptions and they should be tried, maybe they could have suspensions on their licenses for a while and get fines but being tried for abating murder that does not make logical sense. the hotel people should be tried for negligence and those bastards that tortured and killed her, imprisoned for two years with constant reminder that they would be shot so they live with that fear for as long as possible without getting used to the idea. then shot. That said, as much as we are emotional here for the loss of a young lady,logical justice should be the key

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  22. Na wa o,we dey buy lexotan and valium like pure water na. Btw, do we do prescriptn in naija @ all? ..No be by statement alone o.. They shd get lawyers to get those guys released.. I think they hav suffered enough and sure they ve learnt their lesson

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  23. Ahya! I agree with them

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  24. This is disheartening. Since this idiots confessed to killing her, they would have confessed that the pharmacist had no hand in the killing. They just want don't want to go down alone. Why not tell the truth. Chaiiiiiiiiii Anofia. Instead of them to help their igbo brother. What am I saying, if they can kill our igbo sister how much more a pharmacist. Chaiii this thing pains me to my bone! Linda have u not heard of that igbo actor who killed his wife? The guy acted real life Nollywood movie. Its everywhere o! Abeg try and get the story. I believe ur own stories more than any other blog. May God show my people the way!

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  25. Nonso considered his request on compassionate grounds and dispensed to him one (1) card of 10 tablets of flunitrazapam along with one (1) card of Paracetamol. .........YEA RIGHT..WHO R THEY FOOLING....HE DEFINITELY KNEW WHAT THE DRUG WAS TO BE USED FOR

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    1. Anon 9:15...Go and choke on smoke somewhere abeg...

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    2. Really, did he know? Where u there? I can see u don't understand the gravity of this matter and the possibility of an innocent man going to jail. Its not by force for u to comment, if u don't have anytin useful to contribute, shut up

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  26. I think the PSN is right. Pharmaceutically, all drugs are poisonous. They should release the pharmacists. Their own job is to dispense drugs. Thanks.

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  27. As far as am concerned they are right,why arrest the pharmacist, it is non of there business how the drug is been used, let's face it we all buy drugs that are not prescribed yet use them, they should be released. when nigeria has gotten to the stage whereby pharmacist are responsible for the drugs they sell, then we can start making arrest for such.

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  28. I was wondering when the relevant stakeholders of the pharmaceutical industry would make a statement. Also Association of Community Pharmacist should make a statement, join forces with other stakeholders and see that the innocent is not being booked for crime not committed.
    We all know that in Nigeria, someone must take the fall, so that it seems like the police is effective.
    How sure are we that it is these particular pharmacists that committed the crime? Did the other culprit confess to that? Or are they just victims of an unforeseen mishap?
    Is this the real story flying in the media? I say this because the Media has a way of pushing stories that tilt to an angle endearing people to buy more papers. Besides is it because it is a Rtd Major that all this is coming to the light now. Nigerians we need to be proactive in our dealings and stop this reactive approach to things. I am really happy that the President has now set KPIs for ministers with scheduled deadlines for review update and job completion. That is how to be proactive moving forward. But really its still reactive if you look at it from another perspective.
    Am very sad and not in support of the crime

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  29. This is commendable from a reputable professional body standing up for its own.
    I believe there should be clear differentiation between legal implications and mere sensationalism.
    I believe also that the young pharmacists have learnt their lessons. Always let ethics prevail!!

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  30. Exactly my thots....theirs' is not a police case but something bordering around professional ethics..

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  31. Dazzling B said.......
    Do you know that Amplicox, flagyl, even septrin are all POM (prescription only medcines) as in u need to get prescription from a dr b4 u can buy them. If u have ever walked into a drug store and gotten any pom without prescription then u are not less guilty than the boys that killed cynthia (for de purchase part) the diff btw u and dem is what u used urs for,and any drug at very high dose is a very potent poison. Old ppl come to de pharmacy and buy lexotan or valium 5 for lack of sleep. And these drug are same family to rophynol and can de same as rophynol. Am not trying to support de sales without prescription but in nigeria the drug system is in a state of chaos. Ppl would rather consult their community pharmacist than visit a hospital cos its cheaper, its more community based and accesible than visiting a hospital with all de protocol and heavy bills for less. I think the pharmacist Nonso should be charged for sale of a pom without a prescription and not murder. Then the other guy not on duty should be discharged with immediate effect.

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    1. Community pharmacist,abi baba chemist, ndi ahia ogwu mtcheew who dash dem pharmacist. Na patent drug sellers in a jeborized way. Bunch of ignoramus.

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  32. Na wa oh. Takes my mind to those beggars on the street who say 'akoba adaba oloun ma jari'. This is a clear case of one. There's no way these guys would have reasonably suspected that the drugs were to be used to kill anyone . They were just doing their job. Fine they compromised ethics but seriously, how many of us take precriptions to pharmacies.

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  33. Well spoken!!..

    Nigeria police na wah sha.. n

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  34. If this is the case, then it is a purely injustice to proscute those phermacits. And i hope the authority concern will take note.

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  35. I know is not the pharm's fault, but hopefully dis could help change the dispensation of certain meds in 9ja.

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  36. Na waa oo. See how two innocent guys have been brought down by these criminals.
    It is clear by this info that Osita knows nothing about it but the compassionate pharmacist made the worst mistake of his life when he sold the drugs without prescription. May God have mercy on the innocent.
    RIP Cynthia.

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  37. Its rather unfortunate... But they still av to face d law.if they present a good case before the jugde, a tinge of luck might give dem an egde.

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  38. After reading this statement, I am still at a loss as to the authors objective. Is this supposed to be a statement in support of colleagues, or is this a statement offering moral advice on the folly of internet friendships?

    If the former, I think the statement in its entirety is ill-advised, ill-timed, hasty and unworthy of a person with numerous professional designations behind his name. The police presumably made an arrest based on the statements of the alleged killers, not based on the fact that the pharmacists sold drugs without a prescription! It behoves all of us, as citizens interested in justice, to wait for the case and evidence to unfold in court. Not to rush to either condemn hastily, or as in this case, defend without basis.

    If the objective was the latter, then again this statement writen in hasty defense of these gentlemen without a clear view of the facts is neither the right place nor the right time. The author states "...The PSN after a critical appraisal of all issues at stake wishes to reflect thus...", clearly there was no independent investigation done by the PSN, just a review of the same scandalous facts as we the public have been privy to. Is it not the place of a professional regulatory organisation such as the PSN, to IMMEDIATELY call for a thorough independent investigation of the gentlemen, working hand-in-hand with the police, before reaching a conclusion one way or another?

    My conclusion, based on the level of unprofessionalism shown in publishing this press statement at a time like this, is that I still cannot trust Nigerian pharmacists, and pray every day that I shall never be at their mercy!

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    1. Shut Up.did you go2schl@all?ode if the pharmacists were your brodas will you sit and watch them get implicated?the guy in glasses was in satelite town branch of the pharmacy.very polite gentle man,the police is jus using them2chop.as I heard police is asking for 2million naira 4rm 2family b4 they release him.WHY?

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    2. Anon 9:57...oga/madam, its people like u dat try to sound overly educated but end up sounding stupid. Clearly u haven't dealt with the nigerian police before. Rather, they haven't dealt with you before. They can arrest u 4 bearing the same middle name with a criminal, if they so please. So before u start 2 impose ur 'intelligence' on us, think twice....better still draft ur own statement and publish it. Odeh.

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  39. The constitution stated that u're innocent untill proved otherwise,but in reality reverse is d case. I pray the Pharmacists get justice,just like d woman wrongfully accused of killing a LASTMA official. I see them as victims of negative coincedence.~BONARIO~says so via NOKIA3310.

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  40. I pray God give the family of Osokogu the fortitude to bear the loss of their daughter. I thought certain drugs can be purchase in the Pharmacist with Doctor’s prescription only so as not to use it for the wrong intention as in this case.

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  41. I like d fact that justice has begin to take it course in Nigeria! am a medical practioner and i know what it means to be caught in this kind of cases! i hope d murder chargers against them are dropped.

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  42. dat's a good news so far.
    Cynthia, may ur gentle sole rest in perfect peace. AMEN.

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  43. Thank You Sir, BECAUSE I WAS WONDERING WHILE TWO INNOCENT PEOPLE WILL BE CHARGED FOR MURDER! IN NIGERIA WE ARE AWARE THAT IN NIGERIA A PRESCRIPTION IS NOT REQUIRED TO BUY DRUGD...SO WHY PROSECUTE INNOCENT ONES? I PRAY GOD VINDICATES THEM

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  44. I have been opportuned to meet with the pharmacist the one without glasses. He is a kind and gentle chap whom when i met at Oxpharm help me check my blood pressure severally and advised that i take things easy. I discussed the drugs i was given at my company hospital and he affirmed they were okay and all i needed was rest. I could bet with my life that that guy knows nothing but just a victim of circumstances i pray God helps him out of this mess.and to the Okosogus may God grant the girl eternal rest.Amen

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  45. Ha, they just roped this semi innocent people inside, yeah semi innocent, because they sold the drug without prescription.

    Warri Girl

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    1. Warri rat, if u have used a doctors prescription everytime u stepped into a pharmacy in dat dead warri to buy drugs, then u can cast stones ok?

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    2. Anon 1.55p.m. I dare u 2 come 2 WaRri and repeat what u just wrote? We would see who will be dead and a rat???!!! Oshi.

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  46. The pharmacist re to always dispense with prescription. That diazepam drug wasn't an OTC drug. So why dispense when dat murderer was crying. Dey should just release osita, but as for d other pharmacist, he breached the law,no at least jail for 7 months and suspension of licence will tell other pharmacist to be joking with d profession.

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    1. Anon 10:20...I prescribe 4 tablets of Websters Dictionary, taken 1 tablet a day. When u complete ur dosage, come back and write a post. Oya! Run 2 the pharmacy!

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    2. Thank you jor.Na so some people go dey talk any how.imagine that ravenmortal too...

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  47. Well.. its just a professional misconduct on the part of the pharmacist, which the pharmaceutical concil of Nigeria should deal with. the pharmacists should not be charged for murder, rape, robbery amongst other charges and being remanded in prison. This isn't justice.

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  48. the pharmacists are just unfortunate. quite a lot us buy drugs without prescription. such drugs as valium, lexotan etc are being sold without doctor's prescription. For those of you saying they should be prosecuted,am sure at one time or the other you have bought drugs without a prescription. I ask, does that make you a murderer?
    please, this is not justice. the pharmacists should not be remanded prison let the pharmaceutical council of Nigeria deal with this issue.

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  49. anonymous 9:15am you are very sick........... that the pharmacist gave him one card of paracetamol and one card of rhyphol only shows that they dont sell it in bits. u dont expect him to start cutting the drug with a scissors wen they dont sell it that way. the pharmacists are innocent. lets try to bail them out of this and i dont get why the police allowed their faces to show meanwhile hiding the faces of the culprit. 9ja and injustice

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    1. They don't sell it in bits ko! U dey sell drug? D pharmacists were just plain unlucky, it could have been Oga Pius the chemist, then no society wud have come to his aid sef.everyone buys drug in naija without pescription.

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  50. To all those dt blame d pharmacists for selling d drug without prescription, if u av ever bought drug without prescription on compassionate ground, God will destroy u, cos its because u r still alive. Dis is a country where any living thing can walk up 2 a pharmacy to buy drugs without prescription. As for Nigerian Police, pple cried to see d face of d murderers, all dey av been showing r d faces of d pharmacists, may heavenly justice come on u all. Dey want to cure headache with surgery not paracetamol.

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  51. "Nonso considered his request on compassionate grounds and dispensed to him one (1) card of 10 tablets of flunitrazapam along with one (1) card of Paracetamol. .........YEA RIGHT..WHO R THEY FOOLING....HE DEFINITELY KNEW WHAT THE DRUG WAS TO BE USED FOR"......YOU MY FRIEND ARE AS DULL AS A DONKEY...DID YOU SEE THE DATES? THAT WAS A BAIT THEY USED IN ARRESTING HIM, THE DEED HAD ALREADY BEEN DONE AGES AGO...YOU ARE ONE DULL FUCK!!!

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    1. @ el loco....even a dead donkey is smarter than the guy....how can one be that dense to read an article written in plain english and still not make sense of it?

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  52. Poor Policing and Lazy journalism.

    Knew the truth from the beginning.Overzealous police men,is it that easy to quickly apprehend culprit in Nigeria.The case was concluded within a week.There are loads of innocent in Nigerian jails.

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  53. Firstly we all know we really dnt use prescriptions in 9j, I ve personally on many occasions had to get some pretty heavy meds and never needed any prescription. From what I gather from this Nonso sale which occurred in aug, was more of a form of entrapment by the police to arrest him. Osita's arrest is on suspiscion that he was on duty the day cynthia's killer made there purchases. There is no conclusive proof of colusion or conspiracy. At its worst they are guilty of breach of ethics, but certainly not conspiracy to commit murder. This is a classic case of NPF "Roger All Situations"

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  54. the nigerian police are bunch of blockheads,so now people cannot go freely to the pharmacy to buy valium, thats cruel of them, this guys never knew anything bout this, thiers is just to do thier biz,, please where are we heading to in this country without proper justice and investigations.....may GOD help those innocent guys.....amen

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  55. Well said, but dis association needs to go further dan dis by getting involved in d said investigations becos all d police want to do is nail but d innocent and d guilty just to make a name for themselves. As u can see dey have still refused journalists to show d faces of d murders but d faces of d pharmacists r shown freely. So who is fooling who. Dia investigations don get K leg tete

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  56. Naija police funny and silly as they are will always show their incompetence. When i saw the alledged pictures with the caption "Face of Cynthia's murderer's" and the story read that the guys are the pharmacists who sold the drugs, i knew something was fishy.
    Where is the face of the True murderer's?

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  57. If the two pharmacists have good lawyers, then the charges preferred against them will not stick. It's a no-brainer really, they just have to prepare their case very well, defend it, wait for the court to discharge and acquit them and then BOOM!!!...sue the heck out of the Nigerian Police for defamation and false accusation!

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  58. I said I suspect d NPF,becos dey showed d pharmacists'face cos dey know nigerians would revolt and demand der release,how come dey didn't show d murderers's faces?

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  59. Imagine that you are a medical doctor enjoying your free-time with your family and then you witness an accident, u instinctively rush to give first aid to the victims. after your first aid treatment, these people are fit enough to continue on their way but just moments after they leave, the police comes and arrests you for saving the lives of the people(out of compassion) because these people happened to be armed robbers or murderers at large, would that be fair? I bet your answer would be no.

    we are all Nigerians and we all have Nigerian mentality even though you are well traveled, there are some things that we just do here because thats the only way we know how to...the only times i buy drugs with prescriptions are times when i am admitted in a hospital. on a good day, if i have menstrual pain or running stomach, i know what drugs to take and i just go to the local pharmacy to get it. we all know the laws but we break them because even the lawmakers break them. i can bet that up until today, people still walked into local pharmacies to buy this Rophynol without prescription. these pharmacists were wrong to have sold the drug without presciption but tagging them as murderers is quite to the extreme. PSN should and would deal with these pharmacists for breach of ethics but they shouldnt stand by and watch them get punished for any crime other than that.

    @ravenmortal, you might wanna read the press release again maybe this time you would understand it better

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  60. Do most of y'all know that all antibiotics are not supposed to be sold without prescription so if anybody here has bought ANY antibiotic without a valid prescription @ one point or the other in that person's life then he or she has no right to condemn the pharmacists in question and as the fool who said the pharmacist know wat the drug is for, is it possible for a pharmacist to verify wat each customer is using a drug for? Think well before u talk, Ewu nkpam.

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  61. maduakor chukwunonso only sold d drug to an undercover policeman who pretendef to b seriously ill after much pleadin from d policeman.hw then was he chargd wit murder as he wasnt even d one dat sold d drug to d killers...c hw d police ruin peoples lives?......GOD HELP US

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  62. @El Loco or wateva ur name is,peeps lyk u r d reason naija is stil bckwards.y talk out of ignorance.if nt cos am mindin my language shld hav vented all my anger on u.read d article in punch,u wil find oug nonso only sold to an undercover policeman.wats wrong wif u?.r u a policeman tryin to save face?

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  63. see our ode police n 'sting' operation abi na investigation.is dis how dey always on top of d situation?

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  64. OMG!!! I knw Nonso ooooooo.these guys are innocent,d police shld better concentrate on d murderers and spare ds innocent guys. They should go and arrest d person who sold ribena,chain etc they used for d dastardly act na. Stupid police people. See how they are tarnishing dis our oxpharm pharmos.

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  65. I am totally with the pharmaceutical society on this one, the pharmacist should be released and by the way how come their own faces are being shown , while the culprits faces are not being shown.

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  66. PLS,PLS,Nigerians google this drug called "Rohynol" and you will know it has no buisiness been sold in pharmacies,worst still without prescription.this drug is termed as illegal in the US cos its a well known drug used for rape.The victim usually wakes up with no memory of what happened to her or him.The drug is also 10 times stronger than valium which they were comparing it to.PSN,Nigerians are not illeterates so you cant come and tell us some feeble and expect us to swallow it.The pharmacist who sold the drug to them need to be charged with Conspiracy to commit the crime which the two monsters commited cos he aided them in commiting the crime by selling a very dangerous drug to them.Ignorance has never been an excuse for commiting a crime.

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  67. @ EL LOCO

    You are a product of IMSU....Fact
    And your everyday's thinking is of nollywood.

    Please read the page once more. The person that purchased the drug serve as a bait for the arrest in the passage, He bought it along paracetamol. And they were not referring to the suspect (Killer) here.

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  68. Hmmmm. Am a doctor & have neva been asked 4 doctors precription or seen anyone use it in a drug store.

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  69. Nigeria Police Kweenu! Biko, since the Pharmacists are Culpable, please come go carry the Aboki wey sell the Ribena Drink too abeg. (I sabi am for Agboju side)... lol. Anofia Naija Police. Make dem watch CRIME & INVESTIGATION Channel and learn how to investigate, they wont, Na Aki n Pawpaw for Africa Magic dem go dey look... psheeeew. (De Counselor)

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  70. God will vindicate them and save them from the evil web the police have dragged them into. no matter how professional one is, there is always room for empathy. who here can claim that they have not done wat nonso did in one way or the other. the boy is just human. His reputation should not be torn to shreds for nothing. Osita should not even be charged for anything, not even professional misconduct. where is the proof he sold the drugs to the hoodlums, where is the receipt. how do we even know the drugs were purchased at oxpharm. shame on the Nigerian Police!!!

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  71. prisoners face tough questions our free TALK WITH THE LORD program inspires daily talks catch they need your help with first question our blog helps g hubbard po box 2232 ponte vedra fl 32004 http://talkwiththelord.blogspot.com/

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  72. They are being held because they are Igbos. We are suffering the effect of lost war but God will vindicate us. The PSN have a duty to ensure that these young people are released immediately. They are not paying their professional and society fees for nothing.

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  73. @ Guru EkoAkete: DO YOU EVEN HEAR YOURSELF? LOL...I DONT EVEN KNOW WHERE YOU GET OFF...YOU ARE ONE SMART ROCK!!

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  74. Nonso is very innocent oo...was in M̶̲̥̅γ̲̣̣̥ house abt a wk b4 he sold ∂ατ̲̅ drug †̥ dem. He didn't even av any idea d drug was for a bad purpose. Pls nigerian police set dis boy free. Plssss

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  75. Charging d Pharmacists with murder and Yadi Yadi Yaaa is a cheap cash grabbing ply btw d prosecutor and d police to drain these youngboys of their resources. As for the two guys dat raped Cynthia for twelve hrs and called d hotel staff to go and take away d body of that Bastard? They r mere walking dead!
    Cynthia will continue to Torment them until d day of their hanging! Ha! Ha!! Can't wait to hear they dead,toast,gone 4 eva!!

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  76. justlikeme@live.com1 September 2012 at 06:07

    The pharmacists were very unlucky. My friends buy rophenol ALL the time! They use it to get high! Thats what wizkid was saying codedly in his song sef.....ROCHE! Dont let your fada know...take it gently ROCHE! (Not lowkey like most of y'all thought!)
    Anyway sha, me think those people should still face some sort of criminal trial but not something really harsh. Why is there no community service in 9jse sef??

    Naija una too much, coffee wey i dey drink hia comot my nose as i read this

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  77. It is rather unfortunate that this young pharmacists were charged with murder counts. They can't possibly start asking everyone why they are purchasing drugs but then Yorubas say "ti elese ba n jiya, olododo ma n pin nibe". May God not let us encounter wahala. The Pharm. Society should try to fight for this guys else other young pharmacists out there will be discouraged.

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  78. Rohypnol is a date rape drug. Any pharmacist worth his education should know that. What compassionate ground can make u dispense such a drug even if this was just a police sting. Rmbr Michael Jackson's doctor is gonna spend some jail time b/c MJ "begged hiM" 4 propofol. I hope u guys get out of this. I don't know d law but is it not called aiding & abetting or accessory 2 murder!!!

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  79. @Deyon who said Rophynol has no business being sold in a pharmacy? Should it be sold in your mother's kitchen?
    Rophynol maybe stronger than valium but Rophynol(Flunitrazepam) and Valium( Diazepam) belong to the same class of drug known as Benzodiazepine. Just as Paracetamol and Ibuprofen belong to the claSs of drug known NSAIDs though Ibuprofen is stronger.
    The benzodiazepines are indicated for Anxiety, sleep disorder and muscular disorders. Are the Pharmacists magicians to know the murderers had other intentions?
    Secondly the fact that Rophynol is illegal in the US doesn't make it illegal in Nigeria. Yes it's a prescription only medicine (POM) here in Nigeria just as antibiotics are, ITK, do you always buy drugs with prescription?
    Actifed DM is illegal in UAE and you can serve jail term if found in your possession without a prescription but that doesn't make it illegal here in Naija or some other countries.
    @Deyon don't always be in a hurry to conclude okay? Read well and ask questions when you don't understand.

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  80. @Deyon who said Rophynol has no business being sold in a pharmacy? Should it be sold in your mother's kitchen?
    Rophynol maybe stronger than valium but Rophynol(Flunitrazepam) and Valium( Diazepam) belong to the same class of drug known as Benzodiazepine. Just as Paracetamol and Ibuprofen belong to the claSs of drug known NSAIDs though Ibuprofen is stronger.
    The benzodiazepines are indicated for Anxiety, sleep disorder and muscular disorders. Are the Pharmacists magicians to know the murderers had other intentions?
    Secondly the fact that Rophynol is illegal in the US doesn't make it illegal in Nigeria. Yes it's a prescription only medicine (POM) here in Nigeria just as antibiotics are, ITK, do you always buy drugs with prescription?
    Actifed DM is illegal in UAE and you can serve jail term if found in your possession without a prescription but that doesn't make it illegal here in Naija or some other countries.
    @Deyon don't always be in a hurry to conclude okay? Read well and ask questions when you don't understand.

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  81. deyon, apparently, u r a foolish son of a fool. u tell us wat the law states in america. y wud u let foolishness blind u to realise this is nigeria & this law does not cover here. u accuse him (nonso) of ignorance whereas u are the ignorant one here cos u do nt know the meaning of conspiracy. pls, do not get schooled through google, it is only for intellectual minds to use.. and frankly, urs is not.

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  82. After all this statement,what is the point exactly?they did't emphasis a demand for their release Pls another statement should be issued.

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  83. U see am a 5th year medical student, I knw in this life we are leaving is by Gods grace, we dnt knw wht is cmin after us.. The pharmacists in question I dnt really blame them dat much, I also shw compassion to an extent, they nid to be forgiven, all these are sily mistake and they hv learnt their lessons, rite nw its like a dream to them cos they didnt knw dat it will turn out like dis, and I dnt think this is first time they are given drugs without prebscription... So pls u police investigators concentrate on the criminals pls and mk sure they pay dearly for it ... Am sorry for d family's loss pls tk hrt.. From queen

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    Replies
    1. Thank u for Ur show of concern. These pharmacists are as guilty as all the other pharmacists and doctors and Nurses that are dispensing medications without proper documentation and without exercising the proper authorities.

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