The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) on Friday morning sealed popular Abuja discount supermarket Sahad Stores.

It was learnt that Sahad Stores with origin from Kano was sealed by FCCPC for hoarding and fixing prices of food higher than the approved tag.

The sealing of Sahad Stores was enforced by the FCCPC’s acting chief executive vice-chairman Adamu Abdullahi.

He accused the Sahad Stores and its management of shortchanging customers by charging prices on foodstuff other than the price tag at the shelves.

The move came after  President Bola Tinubu at a meeting with state governors unveiled plans to tackle factors responsible for food crisis across the country.

Speaking to newsmen on the sealing of Sahad Stores, Abdullahi said the commission’s preliminary investigation confirmed that the management of the supermarket were short changing customers.

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

Sahad Stores is one of the most popular supermarket outlets in Abuja and had won a reputation for their discount sales on household and domestic items including food items before it was sealed by FCCPC.

The FCCPC move comes as a big blow as the chain had recently opened its latest outlet in Mararaba, Nasarwa State to carter for those living in the outskirts of Abuja.

Giving further reason for sealing the supermarket, Abdullahi listed the offences committed by the store to include customers extortion and lack of transparency in prices, explaining that the act was an obnoxious practice that amounted to a violation of rights under the FCCPC Act.

He said the practice contravened Section 155 (3) of the FCCPA and the fine amounted to N100 million or more.

”What we have found out that they are doing is misleading pricing and lack of transparency in their pricing which is against section 155 (3) of the FCCPAct.

”It is an obnoxious practice and amounts to violation of rights under the FCCPA.

”Section 155 of FCCPA states that any corporate person that contravenes this law is liable to a fine of N100 million or even more.

”We found out that they are contravening this law and made sure that we came to tell them that our mandate is very clear.

”What we have come here today to do is to make sure that they complied with the law.

“We called them to defend themselves but they failed to show up and in the long run, they sent a lawyer and the lawyer is not familiar with the case but we requested for names, of people that we wanted to come and defend them.

”Those people refused to come and these are the people in’charge of retail, fixing prices on the computer system and shelves.

”We do not have a choice than to seal off the premises until they comply with the provisions of the law,” Abdullahi said.

He said that the Commission would continue to protect the citizens in line with President Bola Tinubu’s  agenda.

The acting executive vice chairman said the Commission would continue to monitor the supermarket to make sure they complied with the law.

Mrs Boladale Adeyinka, the Director Surveillance and Investigations Department of FCCPC, said that price tags on products on the shelves of the supermarket were different from prices at the pay point computers.

Adeyinka said that even the same products and brand had different prices.

”The same products, the same brand has different prices. One is N5,000 while one is N6,000.

“Imagine if you buy 10 pairs, that means you have been short-changed by N10,000.

”In this period, we want people to have maximum value for their money,” she said.

Mr Salisu Zango, an official of Sahad Supermarket, admitted that the store had engaged in the practice but had since made amends.

”We have corrected it,” he said.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the supermarket premises was sealed off to avoid customers access. (NAN)