The owner of a Chinese retail shop in Abuja has denied allegations of discrimination against Nigerians, clarifying the nature of her business and its open-door policy.
Liu Bei, the owner of the retail shop located in Royal Choice Estate on Airport Road, Abuja, refuted claims that her establishment exclusively caters to Chinese nationals. She emphasized that her shop serves residents, workers, and visitors, irrespective of nationality.
In a statement sent to PUNCH Online on Tuesday in both Chinese and English languages, Bei clarified, “My shop is a small retail shop, not a supermarket like SHOPRITE. I mainly sell things to community residents and people who work here. Sometimes visitors come to my store to buy something after visiting the office building, regardless of nationality.”
The shop owner expressed concern over the presence of unfamiliar individuals outside her store, stating that it made her feel uneasy. This reaction was prompted by a summon notice from the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission, which had sealed her store following the controversial entry policy.
The controversy arose after reports emerged that the store had restricted entry to only Chinese nationals, excluding Nigerians from shopping there. This policy had stirred public outrage, with many Nigerians condemning the alleged discrimination on social media platforms.
Contrary to these claims, Bei maintained that she harbors no discriminatory sentiments towards Nigerians. She also revealed that she has several Nigerian employees with whom she has a good working relationship. Bei expressed regret over a recent altercation between a security guard and a visitor at her shop, clarifying that she had sold items to two Nigerians on that day.
Furthermore, Bei disclosed that she had downsized her operations in December 2023 and has plans to close the shop in the near future. She attributed the restricted access to the community’s safety requirements, which limit direct entry for visitors.
She concluded by apologizing for any misunderstanding that arose due to the incident and reiterated her shop’s commitment to serving all members of the community.
