Chinese Supermarket In Abuja Shuts Down Amid Backlash Over Discriminatory Policy Against Nigerians
The Abuja-based Chinese supermarket criticised for refusing to allow Nigerians to shop in its facility is currently closed.
Our correspondent who arrived at the premises on Monday at 9.10 am observed that the grocery store was closed with an anti-theft padlock.
Earlier on Sunday, Nigerians had expressed outrage over a discriminatory policy implemented by the Chinese Supermarket, which restricted entry exclusively to its citizens and barred Nigerians.
The supermarket situated at the China General Chamber of Commerce, along Umaru Musa Yar’Adua Road in Abuja, is acclaimed as a destination for Chinese cuisine and beverages.
When our correspondent visited the supermarket to confirm the authenticity of the claim on Sunday, security personnel at the gate confirmed that the management of the store had given the directive at the beginning of the year without giving reasons.
One of the guards who didn’t wear his name tag and declined to disclose his name, said prospective shoppers who are not Chinese are turned back at the gate as directed by the management.
The officer said, “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 individuals 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.”
Our correspondent was, however, allowed entrance because, according to the officer, “Today is Sunday, and you are covered with grace.”
At the grocery store located at Villa 7, a mixture of foreign and local food, drinks, and essential items was showcased on the shelf with no price tag.
One of the attendants, who speaks the Yoruba language, expressed shock that a Nigerian was allowed to gain entry, noting that “Maybe they allowed because you didn’t come with a car.”
She also stated that authorities stopped Nigerians from entering for reasons not known to them.
She noted, “Yes, Nigerians are not allowed to enter the supermarket. Only people who work on the premises are allowed to shop here. There are reasons but we don’t know because it was not like this before. I don’t know how they allowed you in, maybe because you didn’t come with a car. They would never allow anyone who comes with a car to enter the premises.
But at the gate on Monday, our correspondent met another set of security personnel who granted access without any questions.
The guard who did have a name tag said, “You want to go to the supermarket? You can go, without asking further questions.
Attempts to speak with passersby on reasons for the closure proved abortive as they claimed not to have information about the situation.
No one went in or out of the compound for over 45 minutes while our correspondent was outside the premises.
Our correspondent also observed heavy security presence on the street leading to the supermarket.
