KFC apologises to ex-governor’s son over discriminatory treatment

KFC Nigeria has issued a statement addressing a recent incident at its outlet inside the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos, where a customer in a wheelchair alleged discriminatory treatment.

KFC apologised to Daniel and stated that the incident was not reflective of their standards.

“We have embarked on efforts to address the situation and extend apologies and deeply regret the frustration and distress experienced by our guest,” KFC said in a statement.

“We are actively exploring solutions to equip our team members and establishments better to ensure that every guest feels genuinely welcomed and that we deliver empathetic customer service that proactively addresses the diverse needs of each guest.”

The customer, the son of former Ogun State Governor Gbenga Daniel, Debola Daniel, took to social media yesterday to denounce what he called “vile discrimination” experienced at a KFC outlet.

Daniel, who uses a wheelchair, described the incident as “the worst sort of public humiliation” he’s ever faced.

According to him, the incident occurred after completing security checks for a Virgin Atlantic flight to London.

He stated that due to a non-functioning elevator, he often frequented restaurants within the airport, including KFC, on previous trips, adding that even the security personnel recognised him as a frequent flyer and greeted him by name.

However, upon entering KFC with his travel companions, consisting of his brothers and wife, the manager allegedly declared “no wheelchairs allowed” and insisted they leave.

“The security personnel at KFC, Samuel, greeted me by name as I’ve been there multiple times. Just as we were about to sit, the lady at the till – who was apparently the manager – called out loudly, “NO WHEELCHAIRS ALLOWED.”

Daniel added that his wife reportedly documented the incident with video and photos.

He said further attempts by his wife to inquire under the guise of placing an order resulted in the manager reiterating the “no wheelchairs allowed” policy for that branch.

https://x.com/DebolaDaniel/status/1772945341022691369?s=20

The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) on Thursday closed the KFC outlet after carrying out an investigation on the incident.