The Indian High Commission in Nigeria has pledged to take disciplinary action against staff at the Indian Language School in Ilupeju, Lagos, following allegations of discrimination against a correspondent from The PUNCH.
The controversy emerged after online reports suggested that the school was exclusively admitting Indian students, prompting The PUNCH correspondent to investigate the matter firsthand.
An individual, identified as @decommonroom, shared an account alleging that the school only enrolled students with Indian passports, prompting further scrutiny into the school’s admission policies.
Upon visiting the school premises, The PUNCH correspondent was denied entry by security personnel, who cited instructions from a receptionist. Despite seeking information on behalf of a potential Nigerian applicant, the correspondent was informed that only individuals with Indian nationality could be attended to by the school.
Responding to the incident, the press officer of the Indian High Commission in Abuja, Vipul Mesariya, expressed shock at the reported treatment of The PUNCH correspondent. Mesariya assured that disciplinary measures would be taken against the security guard and receptionist involved, emphasizing that they lacked the authority to make such discriminatory decisions.
Meanwhile, in a separate development, the owner of an Abuja-based Chinese retail shop, Liu Bei, denied allegations of discrimination against Nigerians. Bei clarified that her establishment was open to all customers, refuting claims that it was exclusively meant for a specific group.
Bei’s response came after the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission threatened sanctions and sealed her store, following a video purportedly showing a confrontation between a security guard and Nigerian visitors.
In her statement, Bei emphasized that her store, located in the Royal Choice Estate on Airport Road, primarily served the local community and visitors from nearby offices, without regard to nationality. She expressed regret over the altercation captured in the video, affirming her commitment to maintaining positive relationships with all customers, including Nigerians.
