The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Council (FCCPC) has sealed up a restaurant operated by a Chinese individual for alleged racial discrimination against prospective customers.
FCCPC Director-General, Barr Babatunde Irukera in a statement on Twitter, said the agency sealed up Haufei Restaurant & Mall located at 33 Aboyade Cole, Victoria Island, Lagos, for further regulatory action, based on credible intelligence and surveillance that the business declines service to Nigerians.
The FCCPC boss noted that nothing can justify restriction based on protected grounds and global norms such as race from operators of a public commercial facility.
He disclosed that the agency had in its possession recorded evidence and statements by employees alluding to the company’s discriminatory policy, which will be used to support further regulatory sanctions against Huafei Restaurant and Mall.
He said after he got reports about the discrimination meted out to Nigerians, he sent two different people and they were declined service because they are Nigerians.
“We went to investigate because of an allegation, but we took precipitate action because of what we discovered and experienced, not allegations,” he said.
Responding to the owner’s denial that the restaurant doesn’t discriminate against Nigerians, the DG said: “I made inquiries from your staff outside, what the policy is, they confirmed, I came in, the same thing happened to me,” he said.
He assured that the matter will be treated in line with fair enforcement procedures stressing that measured responses were a regulatory responsibility: “Without question. Our approach is always determined by the circumstances, not nationalities. Any operator who is cooperative and transparent will receive regard in the enforcement process, any that don’t will receive escalated action.”
He urged Nigerians to know the law, understand globally accepted norms, re-value themselves – “recognize obligations owed to you and other citizens, demand and insist you’re treated fairly and with dignity.”
The agency plans to also prosecute two Nigerian employees of the restaurant who sought to mislead regulators and failed to cooperate.
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