THE Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) has sealed off a Chinese supermarket located at the China General Chamber of Commerce, Abuja.
Channels TV reported that the action, prompted by allegations of discrimination against Nigerians, occurred on Monday, April 22.
The officials from the commission sealed up the place after interrogating Nigerian workers at the supermarket.
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The ICIR reports that several Nigerians had expressed outrage on Sunday, 21, over an alleged discriminatory policy implemented by the Chinese Supermarket, which restricted entry exclusively to its citizens and barred Nigerians.
According to a video posted by Nigeria stories, a handler on X, about three FCT residents expressed disappointment over the said policy.
They claimed that many Nigerians have been denied the opportunity to enter the building and shop due to the directive given to the workers and the security guards at the complex
Also, confirming this policy with newsmen, the facility manager, Shaibu Sanusi, said Nigerians from outside the complex do not shop, but Nigerians within can access it.
Findings by Punch Newspaper further revealed that the store’s management gave the directive at the beginning of the year without giving reasons.
One of the officers who spoke to the newspaper said prospective shoppers who are not Chinese are turned back at the gate as directed by the management.
“For now, they (management) have stopped everything. The truth is that they are selling, but they said our people should stop coming. They said only Chinese are allowed to shop here. The shop is only meant for Chinese people. People were allowed to come in throughout last year, but since January, they changed the policy and directed that no Nigerian is allowed to enter.
“We were not informed of any reason for the policy, but we have told them to remove all adverts from the internet so that people would stop coming,” Punch quoted the man as saying.
Usman Mustapha is a solution journalist with International Centre for Investigative Reporting. You can easily reach him via: [email protected]. He tweets @UsmanMustapha_M