Some Chinese at the weekend in Il?rin, Kwara State, provoked a discussion among residents who saw them pricing a fairly used (tokunbo) electric frying pan on Murtala Muhammed Way.

The Chinese, all males, who came with police escort, alighted from a new Toyota Hilux before crossing to the other side of the road to the shop. They priced different sizes of the tokunbo frying pans but went away without buying any.

A resident, Mr Ishola Audu, told City & Crime that, “These people are very funny. They will export substandard products to our country but refuse to buy them and yet we are crazy about them. They don't even buy new ones that are of good quality but look for second hand.”

Mr Tajudeen, who also witnessed the incident, said, “I don't want to believe that they don't have the money to buy new ones of good quality, but why patronising a fairly used goods seller? I think we should look at this from various perspectives.”

Meanwhile, the Chinese refused to speak with our correspondent about their action.

But the owner of the shop, Mazi Chukwudi, told City & Crime that, “They came pricing different second hand frying pans but later settled for one that I told them to pay N4,000.

“One of them who understands a bit of English said they would pay N3,500, and I said no. Surprisingly, they left because of the N500 difference.”