The Abuja-based Chinese supermarket criticised for refusing to allow Nigerians to shop in its facility is currently closed, PUNCH Online reports.

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.

Omoawoke:


When you lack wisdom in this life, it’s a big problem.
Many of you don’t have basic social and political intelligence, that’s why you will remain losers for life and will never win at anything in not just Nigeria politics but even in your personal lives.
Have you heard some phrases, no permanent enemy, you only make strategic moves.
Go and read the books like art of war and study history. Whenever you have a common enemy, you unite to defeat your common enemy.
This issue is about the Chinese disrespecting you as a black person on your home soil, the Chinese don’t care if you are Igbo, Yoruba or Hausa, they disrespect you all. But your problem now is tribalism.
In the 2nd world war, US, Russia and many countries that don’t like themselves United to defeat their common enemies.
When Covid 19 came, the whole world left their beefs and joined hands to fight a global pandemic.
In this life, know when to form alliances and fight a common enemy and know when to fight your individual battles. I don’t expect you and many others to see sense in this. But at least, I tried to teach you common sense 101

sweerychick:
... Not that im defending these Chinese people, but I've been to China and I know their tradition, Chinese people are extremely discreet, they don't like sharing anything with you. That's why they live in clusters, Chinatown. You hardly see Chinese people intermingle with commoners. And they do it to everyone including Europeans not just blacks alone. I think it's an Asian thing.
I believe why the restricted Nigerians there is fear of their safety, because from the report it started January this year and it was this January that dollars started skyrocketing and food stuffs increased astronomically. So they feared that Nigerians might want to loot their shops or do something sinister to them..

Cindypresh:
Tribalists and bigots are shouting racism everywhere🥱


Nigeria has the highest percentage of hypocrites in the world

Omoawoke:


This is a very nonsense talk, they don’t like to mingle with others then they should sit in their country. What are they doing in another persons country if they don’t like to mingle?
There are Chinese towns in North America and they don’t born them well to restrict anybody.
Anybody can walk into any Chinese store or restaurant and must be served.

sweerychick:
yeah it sounds nonsense but it's a fact they do that. Maybe not the way they do it in Africa but they don't like to intermingle. During the Rodney king LA riots in the US 1992, most Asian shops were attacked (although mainly Korean shops) because of their discriminatory attitude. Bruce Lee had to escape China to the US because he exposed Martial arts to the western world and Chinese people weren't happy about it. Hence his mysterious death. Those people are mysterious.

ColonelZeus:
There is nothing bad in the way they go about their business.
As long as they pay their taxes, I believe Nigerians should mind their business.

helinues:


Your hate for your country don't dey make you misyarn

sweerychick:
... [s] Not that im defending these Chinese people, but I've been to China and I know their tradition, Chinese people are extremely discreet, they don't like sharing anything with you. [s]That's why they live in clusters, Chinatown.[/s] You hardly see Chinese people intermingle with commoners. And they do it to everyone including Europeans not just blacks alone. I think it's an Asian thing.
I believe why the restricted Nigerians there is fear of their safety, because from the report it started January this year and it was this January that dollars started skyrocketing and food stuffs increased astronomically. So they feared that Nigerians might want to loot their shops or do something sinister to [/s]them..

Zulu11zulu:
I don't trust China I hope they never kill anybody inside the shop and trying to cover it up

sweerychick:
... Not that im defending these Chinese people, but I've been to China and I know their tradition, Chinese people are extremely discreet, they don't like sharing anything with you. That's why they live in clusters, Chinatown. You hardly see Chinese people intermingle with commoners. And they do it to everyone including Europeans not just blacks alone. I think it's an Asian thing.
I believe why the restricted Nigerians there is fear of their safety, because from the report it started January this year and it was this January that dollars started skyrocketing and food stuffs increased astronomically. So they feared that Nigerians might want to loot their shops or do something sinister to them..

sweerychick:
... Not that im defending these Chinese people, but I've been to China and I know their tradition, Chinese people are extremely discreet, they don't like sharing anything with you. That's why they live in clusters, Chinatown. You hardly see Chinese people intermingle with commoners. And they do it to everyone including Europeans not just blacks alone. I think it's an Asian thing.
I believe why the restricted Nigerians there is fear of their safety, because from the report it started January this year and it was this January that dollars started skyrocketing and food stuffs increased astronomically. So they feared that Nigerians might want to loot their shops or do something sinister to them..

Dronedude:
Discrimination in another man's country. What then happens to foreigners in China?

SoNature:
If a Chinese actually established that business, it wasn't set up for profit-making purposes. How many Chinese live in Abuja that will give you enough sales to keep that business going? Some things don't just make any sense.