Nigerian journalist David Hundeyin. Photo: David Hundeyin/ Twitter
Famous Nigerian journalist detained and deported in Zimbabwe
Nigerian journalist David Hundeyin says he was kept in a smelly detention room and was only allowed to use the toilet after 10 hours.
Nigerian journalist David Hundeyin. Photo: David Hundeyin/ Twitter
Famous Nigerian journalist David Hundeyin had the worst experience in Zimbabwe after he was detained for more than 10 hours before being deported from the country.
WHAT BROUGHT THE NIGERIAN JOURNALIST TO ZIMBABWE
The filmmaker and esteemed investigative journalist landed in Zimbabwe on Wednesday, 19 July, only to be denied upon entry due to improper documentation.
According to DW Africa, Hundeyin arrived in Zimbabwe from Ghana, where he had sought asylum for political persecution in his country.
“I landed in Zimbabwe earlier [today], and I have been detained at Harare Airport inside a smelly locked room for nearly 7 hours. They said that despite using the travel document of a country with a visa-free relationship, my nationality is still Nigerian, and thus, I need a visa,” Hundeyin tweeted about his awful experience in the country on 19 July.
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The awful treatment continued, according to the Nigerian journalist as he was only allowed to use the bathroom after 10 hours.
“I’ve been allowed to use the loo for the first time in 10 hours, and I’ve been assured that I will be allowed to catch my exit flight. I will keep updating until I board and have my passport returned to me,” the Nigerian journalist further tweeted.
“They thought I came to Zimbabwe to work on a story, meanwhile it was a speaking engagement that took me there.”
Hundeyin
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THE BLACKLASH AFTER DAVID HUNDEYIN BAD TREATMENT
The Zimbabwean government received backlash on social media for what had been portrayed by Hundeyin.
“The journalist you are detaining at the airport is the African journalist of the year for 2020. He is a big journalist in Nigeria and not a chancer,” said Hopewell Chin’ono, an award-winning International Journalist of Zimbabwean origin, as he called out the government of Zimbabwe.
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GOVERNMENT OFFICIAL RESPONDS
However, this prompted a response from a top government official.
In response, Nick Mangwana, a senior Zimbabwean government official, said:
“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 realize this may affect how Zimbabweans are treated when they visit Nigeria so we are going give the information here. 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”.
Nevertheless, the Nigerian journalist flew back to Ghana and has since reported the matter to the Ghanaian Government.
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