The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) has sealed the visa application centres of France, Belgium, and Italy in Abuja over alleged obstruction of an ongoing investigation and failure to address a consumer complaint.
The centres, operated by TLScontact and located at the Mukhtar El-Yakub House in the Central Business District, were shut down on Thursday in a joint operation involving officials of the FCCPC, the Nigeria Police Force, and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC).
According to Mrs. Boladale Adeyinka, Director of Surveillance and Investigations at the FCCPC, the enforcement followed repeated refusals by staff of the visa centres to acknowledge and respond to official correspondence from the Commission.
She explained that the centre had earlier refused to accept a consumer complaint letter served on March 25, 2025, as part of the Commission’s routine dispute resolution procedure.
“Rather than receive the letter, staff of TLScontact assaulted FCCPC officers lawfully carrying out their duties under the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Act (FCCPA),” she said.
Following the assault, the Commission issued a formal summons for TLS to appear before it under Section 33 of the FCCPA. However, the company again declined to receive the summons and allegedly assaulted both FCCPC officers and police personnel who were present to provide lawful security on June 17.
“This is a clear case of obstruction of investigation, and a breach of consumer protection protocols,” Adeyinka said. “Under Section 33 of the FCCPA, refusal to comply with a summons without sufficient cause is an offence punishable by up to three years imprisonment or a fine not exceeding N20 million, or both.”
The FCCPC has now mandated TLScontact to appear before the Commission on June 20 to provide evidence, make depositions, and explain its failure to honour the Commission’s directives.
Adeyinka said the Commission is determined to uphold consumer rights and ensure visa service providers are held accountable for any actions deemed harmful to Nigerian consumers.
TLScontact provides visa support services for several European countries, including France, Belgium, and Italy.
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