Exclusive Chinese Supermarket Shuts Doors After Social Media Uproar
The Abuja-based Chinese supermarket criticised for refusing to allow Nigerians to shop in its facility is currently closed after uproar on social media by Nigerians who are not happy with the practice.
A reporter 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 reporter 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.”
The reporter 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.
