The owner of a Chinese supermarket in Abuja, Liu Bei, has attended a tribunal at the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) to address allegations of discrimination against Nigerian shoppers.
Accompanied by her family and estate officials, Liu Bei arrived at the FCCPC headquarters in Asokoro, Abuja on Wednesday at 11 am to respond to claims of implementing a policy that barred Nigerians from patronizing her store.
This development comes after the FCCPC issued a summons and threatened sanctions on Monday, leading to the temporary closure of the supermarket. The controversy arose when it was reported that the supermarket had restricted entry exclusively to Chinese nationals, prompting widespread condemnation and concerns over discrimination.
In response, Liu Bei refuted the allegations, stating that her store served residents, workers, and visitors from the office building regardless of nationality. Following discussions at the commission, the estate assistant facility manager, Sanusi Shuaibu, confirmed that the issue has been resolved, and the commission has unsealed the grocery store.
Shuaibu explained that during the meeting, the supermarket owner provided explanations, submitted required documents, and answered questions from commission officials. Following the resolution, the store has reopened, and normal operations have resumed.
An FCCPC official also confirmed the supermarket owner’s presence at the meeting, although they were unable to confirm if the store had been unsealed at the time of their departure from the premises.
