The proprietor of a Chinese supermarket in Abuja, which faced criticism for allegedly prohibiting Nigerians from entering and limiting access to Chinese nationals, has denied assertions that her establishment is exclusively intended for a particular demographic.
She clarified that her establishment is not a supermarket but rather a retail shop aimed at meeting the essential needs of her local community. Liu Bei disclosed this in a personally signed statement sent to PUNCH Online in both Chinese and English on Tuesday, expressing discomfort at the sight of unfamiliar individuals congregating in front of her store.
Her response came after the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission issued a summon notice and threatened sanctions on Monday, following the closure of her store.
Report state that the supermarket had implemented a controversial policy restricting entry solely to Chinese nationals, thereby excluding Nigerians from patronizing the establishment. This policy sparked widespread condemnation across various social media platforms as Nigerians voiced their concerns over the discriminatory treatment.
However, in her defense, Bei stated that she serves residents, workers, and visitors who come to her store after visiting the office building, regardless of nationality.
She emphasized that the small retail shop differs from supermarkets and disclosed plans to close it down after downsizing operations in December 2023.
The statement read in full:
“My name is Liu Bei. I watched PUNCH’s news about Chinese supermarkets not allowing Nigerians to enter for shopping.
“Now there are a lot of people in front of my store who I don’t know where they come from. I feel scared and I want to explain something.
“My shop is in the Royal Choice Estate, Airport Road, Abuja. It’s a small retail shop, not a supermarket like SHOPRITE. I mainly sell things to community residents and people who work here. Sometimes some visitors will come to my store to buy something after visiting the company In the office building, regardless of nationality.
“Since December 2023, I downsized the operations of my shop and have been planning to close.
“I don’t discriminate against any Nigerians, I even have several local employees in my store and we have a good relationship. However, for safety reasons, the community has requirements for visitors, so not everyone can enter the community directly.
“I feel sorry for the altercation between the security guard and the visitor in the video. Two Nigerians did come to my store that day to buy something, and I sold to them.”