The owner of the Chinese supermarket in Abuja, Liu Bei, made an appearance before a tribunal at the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission, responding to allegations of not allowing Nigerians to shop at her establishment.
Liu Bei, accompanied by her family and estate officials, arrived at the commission’s headquarters in Asokoro, Abuja, at 11 am on Wednesday to address the discriminatory claims against her.
Following a summons notice and the threat of sanctions by the FCCPC on Monday, Liu Bei’s store was sealed.
This action came after it was revealed that the supermarket had implemented a policy allowing only Chinese nationals to enter, effectively excluding Nigerians from patronizing the business.
This sparked widespread condemnation as Nigerians expressed concerns over the discriminatory treatment.
However, the owner refuted the allegations that her store catered exclusively to a particular group, emphasizing that she served residents, workers, and visitors from the office building regardless of nationality.
Despite the controversy, Liu Bei maintained that her establishment was open to all.
Providing an update on the situation, the estate’s assistant facility manager, Sanusi Shuaibu, confirmed that the issue had been resolved.
Officials from the commission have since unsealed the grocery store, indicating that the matter has been addressed and resolved amicably.
He said, “Yes, we went to the commission today and all the issues have been resolved. The owner of the supermarket was also present at the meeting with the officials. The owner tried to explain the situation and they allowed everyone involved to explain what really happened.
“They also asked us to submit some documents which we did and they also asked her (the owner) some questions. After the meeting, we left the commission and they came to unseal the supermarket.
“They also checked the products in the store and we provided answers to all the questions asked. The store is now open and the woman has returned to her shop.”
An official who works at the FCCPC also confirmed to our correspondent that the supermarket owner appeared at the meeting.
“I saw some persons including the Chinese woman, at our office earlier today and a few hours later, our enforcement officers left the premises but I don’t know if they went to unseal the place or not.”