The Federal Government has filed criminal charges against four Abuja supermarkets and their proprietors for hiking the price of protective items for coronavirus.
The items are sanitizers, hand-wash liquids, disinfectants, facemasks and other disinfectants.
The complainant is the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection.
The defendants in the four separate charges are H-Medix Pharmacy and Stores Ltd., Sandra Ejekwu and John Oluwagbemiga; and Prince Ebeano Supermarket Ltd. and its Proprietor, David Ojei.
Others are Bakan Gizo Pharmacy and Stores Nigeria Ltd, Ray Opia and Luter Irene as well as Faxx Stores and Trading Ltd, and Adogah Ahmed.
In the statement of claim, the FCCP said the alleged offences violated section 125(1)(a) of the FCCP Act, 2018 and punishable under section 155 of the same Act.
The agency accused the supermarkets of supplying hand sanitizers and surgical disposable face masks of various existing brands to customers at a price that was manifestly unfair, unreasonable and unjust.
It also accused the defendants of disobeying without lawful excuse, the lawful orders and directives of the commission against such practices.
The commission said it sent its representatives to visit the supermarkets following complaints from consumers through various social media.
No date has been fixed for hearing of the case.
NAN