Drama As FG Shuts Down Abuja Supermarket Over Fear Of Coronavirus

File photo

The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission, FCCPC has shut down Panda Supermarket, Jabi ‘in avoidance of caution considering Coronavirus’.

Coronavirus, a virus similar to the SARS pathogen has claimed 132 lives since emerging in a market in the central Chinese city of Wuhan, and spread around the world.

No case of Coronavirus has been established in Nigeria.

Panda supermarket is one of the retail shops in Abuja, selling products like wines, pastries, baby products, drinks, seafoods among others.

Jabi District is in the phase 2 development plan of Abuja, the Federal capital city of Nigeria. It is mainly a residential area. Jabi District is adjacent to Utako District.

Jabi is about 13 minutes drive from the Central business district and about 30 minutes from the Abuja airport. The major roads that transverse Jabi are the Obafemi Awolowo Way, Nnamdi Azikiwe Expressway and Alex Ekwueme Street.

The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) is the apex consumer protection agency in Nigeria.

The commission on its official Twitter handle, @fccpcnigeria, noted that it discovered seafood and animals imported illegally from China in the store.

It also added that it discovered products with expired and irregular shelf life.

“UPDATE: FCCPC inspected Panda Supermarket; Jabi on credible reports that it discriminated & had a concealed area for Asian nationals. Allegation confirmed, seafood & animals imported illegally from China discovered. Store closed in abundance of caution considering Coronavirus."

Products with expired & irregular shelf life were also discovered at Panda Supermarket, Jabi, Abuja yesterday. Regulatory activities to remove all offensive products from the Supermarket continues,” it posted on Twitter.

The manager of the supermarket declined to comment when our reporter visited the facility.