Following the detainment and subsequent deportation of Nigerian investigative journalist David Hundeyin, from Zimbabwe, the authorities have explained the reason for their actions.
Dockaysworld learnt that David was denied entry because he claimed to be a Ghanaian refugee who was running from danger in Nigeria.
According to Nick Mangwana, the Zimbabwe Permanent Secretary in the Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Service, the country’s immigration was not pleased with David’s story.
They stated that he was deemed not eligible for entry and that he needed a visa to access the country.
David pointed out that he had never encountered such a problem with the other African countries he had visited.
He added that he had got the Ghanaian passport to protect his life and seek asylum.
The perm sec wrote:
Jaqui, 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.
David replied:
I wasn’t aware that it is standard operating procedure in Zimbabwe for the country’s minister of information to tweet the asylum status of a foreigner, but since you’ve resorted to telling half truths, perhaps you should mention to your audience that I came into Zimbabwe with this valid Ghanaian refugee passport, which I have used to travel extensively over the world for 2 years.
I’m sure you saw the valid UK Visa inside it. I’m also sure that you saw the numerous entry and exit stamps inside it belonging to multiple jurisdictions inside and outside Africa. Only in Zimbabwe have I EVER had an issue travelling with this document.
You might also want to share with your audience that I put a call through to the Zimbabwean embassy in Accra before I travelled to confirm that I did not need a visa, and that J was expressly advised that as long as the airline was happy to recognise the travel document, I would have no problem coming into Zimbabwe visa-free.
I know this despicable Twitter stunt of yours does not represent the behaviour of the generality of Zimbabweans, many of whom I have had as dear friends since university 15 years ago, so I will not hold it against Zimbabwe. From experience, I know that it is possible for a great country to be held captive by a criminal political elite who lack legitimacy.
Whatever you thought you achieved by doing this, I assure you that you should have completed the job yesterday because you will not like what happens next.
Watch video below
By the way, in case @nickmangwana thinks he has "doxxed" me by tweeting about my asylum status in Ghana, here is an interview I did in March with @jonesawuah on @mychannel7tv where I revealed all of this and more. pic.twitter.com/pIJFFpTEZE
— David Hundeyin (@DavidHundeyin) July 20, 2023
