Kashim Shettima has acknowledged that he intervened to reopen Sahad Stores in Abuja after it was shut down by the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) for pricing violations.
The store, owned by Shettima’s friend Ibrahim Mijinyawa, was closed in February 2024 after the FCCPC found it guilty of misleading pricing practices and a lack of transparency.
Despite the store’s failure to attend a scheduled meeting with the FCCPC to discuss corrective measures, Shettima contacted the commission to reopen Sahad Stores, citing the store’s importance to Nigerians and Mijinyawa’s positive impact on the community.
Speaking at the commissioning of Sahad Hospitals in Abuja on Saturday, Shettima admitted to bypassing due process by instructing the FCCPC to reopen the store before the investigation was concluded.
Shettima stated, “When the FCCPC locked up his store, I had to call the head of the agency to say, ‘Please, reopen the store before you come and tell me what happened.
“I did so because I know how helpful Sahad Stores is to many Nigerians.
“He (Alhaji Mijinyawa) is a very good man. He has used his business to touch many lives. If he were a selfish man, he would have kept his money to himself, his children, and grandchildren alone because he has enough to take care of himself till he leaves this world,” he added.
Recall that in February, the FCCPC shut down Sahad Stores when its investigations showed that the supermarket was violating the law on pricing amid soaring food prices.
The commission articulated in a press release, “The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) conducted an on-the-spot check on Sahad Stores in Abuja on February 16, 2024, leading to the temporary closure of the store due to continued violations involving misleading pricing and lack of transparency.
“Earlier, on January 8, 2024, the FCCPC investigated Sahad Stores following reports of misleading pricing practices. The investigation revealed that Sahad Stores displayed lower prices on shelves and charged higher prices at checkout, contravening Section 115 of the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Act (FCCPA) 2018,” it added.
The acting executive vice chairman of FCCPC, Adamu Abdullahi, later stated that the store was reopened following an understanding and a commitment from Sahad Stores to implement transparent pricing practices. However, Shettima’s intervention has raised concerns about the influence of political connections on regulatory processes in Nigeria.
Follow the Parallel Facts channel on WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaCQSAoHgZWiDjR3Kn2E
