FCCP Officials Seals Off Popular Abuja Store Over Deceptive Goods Pricing

There was a mild drama on Friday at the popular supermarket, Sahad Store, located in the Garki area of Abuja, after officials of the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) sealed the store.

The reason behind the sealing was the lack of transparency in the store’s pricing practices, reports revealed.

This action comes just a day after President Bola Tinubu announced his plans to address the factors contributing to the food crisis in the country.

In a collaborative effort between the Federal Government and state governors, a committee was established on Thursday to combat the issue of product hoarding in the country.

Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, revealed this information following a meeting held by President Bola Tinubu with governors, heads of Security Agencies, and several ministers at the Presidential Villa in Abuja on Thursday.

Idris further emphasized that some traders were engaging in the hoarding of food products, and as a result, security agencies were directed to work closely with governors to address this problem.

The Minister said: “President has agreed to set up a committee to deepen the conversation that has happened at the just-concluded meeting. Of course, you know that it is impossible to complete most of the issues that were raised at the meeting so it is going to be a continuous one. ⁣
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“The National Security Adviser, the Director General of the state services, and the Inspector General of Police have been directed to coordinate with the state governors to look at the issue of those hoarding commodities. ⁣

“At this point, the nation requires foods to be brought out to the people so that we can control prices and put food on the table of most Nigerians. Other commodity traders are busy hoarding these commodities so that Nigerians will suffer or they will make more money as a result. ⁣
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“So the governors and President have taken this decision that security agencies will collaborate with the state governors to ensure that this ends.”

Subsequently, the management of Sahad Store was accused by the Federal Government of engaging in unfair practices by charging prices different from those indicated on the shelves.

The enforcement team, led by FCCPC Acting Executive Vice Chairman Adamu Ahmed Abdullahi, sealed the store and conducted a preliminary investigation, which confirmed the allegations of short-changing customers.

The FCCPC noted that the store would remain sealed until the completion of further investigation, saying, “What we have found out that these people are doing is misleading pricing and lack of transparency in the pricing, which is against Section 115 (3) of the law that says a consumer is not required to pay a price for any good or service higher than the one that’s on display.”

“Section 155 states that any corporate person that contravenes is liable to a fine of 100 million naira or even more, and the directors of the company themselves are liable upon conviction payment of 10 million naira each or imprisonment of six months or both.

“What we have done today is to make sure that they comply with the law. We initially called them to come and defend themselves, but they failed to show up. In the long run, they sent a lawyer whom we asked if he was familiar with the facts of the case. He said he wasn’t.

“To unseal the store, they have to make sure that they do what is required to be done.”