20
Jun
Jun
FCCPC SEALS TLS CONTACT VISA APPLICATION CENTRE IN ABUJA OVER CONSUMER RIGHTS VIOLATIONS
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CapitalTimesNews / 8 months
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- 2 min read
The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) has sealed the Abuja office of TLS Contact, a private firm providing visa support services for France, Belgium, and Italy, over allegations of consumer rights violations and assault on security personnel. According to the FCCPC Director of Surveillance and Investigations, Mrs. Boladale Adeyinka, the decision to seal the premises was necessary due to multiple infractions observed at the facility. She stated that FCCPC enforcement officers faced physical attacks by representatives of the company during the course of their duty. The investigation into TLS began in March 2025, after the FCCPC received multiple complaints from consumers who claimed they were denied services they had already paid for. “On March 25, the FCCPC served TLS a letter in line with its normal complaint resolution process. Instead of addressing the complaint, their officers assaulted FCCPC operatives carrying out their lawful duty of enforcing consumer rights,” Adeyinka said. The situation escalated further when TLS personnel allegedly declined to accept a summons to appear before the Commission and also attacked police officers who were legally assigned to support the enforcement team. “In line with Section 18(1)(f) of the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Act, the Executive Vice Chairman of the Commission, Tunji Bello directed the sealing of the premises,” she added. Adeyinka emphasized that the FCCPC had sufficient grounds to believe that some of TLS’s operations were “inimical to consumer welfare,” leading to the suspension of the company’s activities pending the outcome of the ongoing investigation. Key personnel at TLS, including the country manager and centre manager, have been directed to report to the Commission by 2:00 p.m. on Friday, June 20, 2025, to provide explanations regarding their conduct and that of the organization. “Section 33(3) of the FCCPC Act stipulates that failure to comply with a summons, without sufficient cause, is an offense punishable by up to three years imprisonment, a fine of up to ₦20m, or both. Section 33(4) goes further to state that any person who willfully obstructs or interrupts proceedings of the Commission is liable to the same penalties. TLS’s actions clearly fall under these violations,” Adeyinka warned. The FCCPC has called on affected consumers to come forward with any supporting evidence as the investigation continues. The closure of TLS’s office serves as a strong message to service providers across Nigeria that the Commission will take firm action to uphold consumer rights.
