Journalist Deported
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Nigerian journalist with Ghanaian refugee documents deported Zimbabwean authorities say he had no visa and his story did not add up
Zimbabwean authorities on Thursday deported the Nigerian journalist David Hundeyin for not having a valid visa for entry into the country.
Nick Mangwana, the Zimbabwe Permanent Secretary in the Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Service said that Hundeyin, while carrying a Nigerian passport, was an asylum seeker from Ghana and travelled to Zimbabwe with same documents.
Mangwana added that the journalist was therefore “promptly arrested, detained and deported.”
Hundeyin had complained on his Twitter handle that he was detained in a smelly Robert Mugabe International Airport cell, for seven hours without justification, Wednesday.
Speaking on the detention, the Zimbabwean spokesman said on Twitter.
“It seems David Hundeyin while carrying a Nigerian Passport, he is seeking asylum in Ghana and those are the papers he travelled with. Unfortunately for him, Ghanians are not allowed in Zimbabwe without a VISA and he was promptly arrested, detained and deported.
“I am sorry that this journalist found himself in this situation. That said, we do have Immigration laws in our country that are obligatory to all prospective entrants, and no profession is immune to them. If someone’s travel document is such that they need a Visa, that law applies to everyone including “an award winning journalist”. Our laws are blind to social stations or attended achievements. “ Mangwana stressed.
The Zimbabwean government accused Hundeyin of concealing facts from his audience.
“Since he has chosen to put all his issues out without making full disclosure, it forces us to give details we would have preferred not. But we realise this may affect how Zimbabweans are treated when they visit Nigeria so we are going give the information here.“ Magwana said.
“David came with Ghanaian Refuge papers claiming he was a Nigerian who was a refuge from his home country. His country of Asylum is Ghana after claiming to be running away from persecution in Nigeria. People in this category certainly need visas to enter Zimbabwe.”
“He wasn’t coming in to work as a journalist. He said he was just coming to visit but without getting a Visa in Ghana first. Other parts of his story were also unsatisfactory to the immigration authorities. He was considered not a candidate for entry into Zimbabwe.”
The Zimbabwean official assured Nigerians that there was nothing against the Nigerian journalist and Africans were still welcome to visit.
Hundeyin had insisted that his passport did not need a visa to enter Zimbabwe.
“What I can assure you is that by now I have already established that he failed to meet certain immigration requirements and entry was refused. That is as far as I can go.” The official concluded.
Akowe with reports from Abuja
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