FG seals off Sahad Store in Abuja as crackdown on hoarding begins

Twenty-four hours after President Bola Tinubu unveiled plans to tackle factors responsible for food crisis, the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC), sealed Sahad Store, a popular supermarket in the Garki area of Abuja.

The management of the supermarket was accused of shortchanging customers by charging prices other than the price tag at the shelves.

The enforcement was led by the acting executive vice chairman of the FCCPC,

Adamu Ahmed Abdullahi.

Briefing journalists on the sidelines of the event yesterday, Abdullahi said the commission’s preliminary investigation confirmed that the management of the supermarket was shortchanging customers.

He said the store would remain sealed until the completion of further investigation.

Quoting sections 115 (3) of the commission’s act, he said “an undertaking shall not require a consumer to pay a price for any good or service higher than the price displayed.”

This business practice, he said, amounted to a violation of consumers’ rights under the FCCPA

He said, “Section 155 states that any corporate person who contravenes any consumer right commits an offense under the FCCPA and is liable on conviction to a fine of not less than N100million or 10 per cent of its turnover in the preceding business year, whichever is higher

“Additionally, each director of the organisation is also personally liable upon conviction to imprisonment for a term not exceeding five years or fine not exceeding N10 million, or both.

“What we have done 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. 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 they do what is required.”

This comes after the Federal Government in collaboration with state governors agreed to set up a committee to tackle the issue of hoarding of produce in the country.

Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, disclosed this after the meeting President Bola Tinubu held with governors, heads of Security Agencies and some ministers at the Presidential villa, Abuja, on Thursday.