Determined to retaliate the deportation of 125 Nigerians travelers by South Africa, the federal government on Wednesday night barred 56 Lagos bound South African passengers from entering Nigeria.
This brings to 84 the number of South Africans deported from the Murtala Mohammed International Airport in the past three days.
Foreign Affairs Minister, Ambassador Olugbenga Ashiru had on Tuesday told Senators that Nigeria would retaliate the Friday deportation of 125 South Africa bound passengers who were turned back at the Oliver Tambo International Airport, Johannesburg, on the grounds that they were in possession of fake yellow fever vaccine certificate.
Our reporter gathered that the 56 South Africans arrived the Murtala Mohammed International Airport on Wednesday night aboard a South Africa Airways Airbus A330 with flight number SA060 but were barred from entering Nigeria.
Impeccable Immigration sources disclosed that the stern measure against South African travelers to Nigeria would continue until South Africa demonstrates remorse over the deportation of 125 Nigerians last Friday.
Africanexaminer gathered that the federal government has also directed a staff audit at the MTN, a leading South African telecommunications company in Nigeria with a view to repatriating some of its South African nationals who work for the company.
Although the Ministry of Foreign Affairs had protested the ill-treatment of the Nigerian travelers to the South African ambassador to Nigeria, Mr Kingsley Mambolo, South African authorities have maintained seal lips over the incident, a development which has triggered more reprisals from Nigeria.
Nigeria is demanding compensation for all the victims of the harsh treatment, disciplinary action against all the officials involved in the cruelty to Nigerians, a review of the Yellow Fever Vaccination Card policy and a commitment that
such a diplomatic slip will not re-occur as the only way to normalize relations with South Africa.
Ambassador Ashiru had told members of the National Assembly that the federal government was on top of the situation, adding that talks had been initiated between officials of both countries.
“We will be giving them measure for measure; we can no longer be taken for a ride. The vice-presidents of both countries will engage in the talks to include broad-based issues beyond the deportation”, he said.
This brings to 84 the number of South Africans deported from the Murtala Mohammed International Airport in the past three days.
Foreign Affairs Minister, Ambassador Olugbenga Ashiru had on Tuesday told Senators that Nigeria would retaliate the Friday deportation of 125 South Africa bound passengers who were turned back at the Oliver Tambo International Airport, Johannesburg, on the grounds that they were in possession of fake yellow fever vaccine certificate.
Our reporter gathered that the 56 South Africans arrived the Murtala Mohammed International Airport on Wednesday night aboard a South Africa Airways Airbus A330 with flight number SA060 but were barred from entering Nigeria.
Impeccable Immigration sources disclosed that the stern measure against South African travelers to Nigeria would continue until South Africa demonstrates remorse over the deportation of 125 Nigerians last Friday.
Africanexaminer gathered that the federal government has also directed a staff audit at the MTN, a leading South African telecommunications company in Nigeria with a view to repatriating some of its South African nationals who work for the company.
Although the Ministry of Foreign Affairs had protested the ill-treatment of the Nigerian travelers to the South African ambassador to Nigeria, Mr Kingsley Mambolo, South African authorities have maintained seal lips over the incident, a development which has triggered more reprisals from Nigeria.
Nigeria is demanding compensation for all the victims of the harsh treatment, disciplinary action against all the officials involved in the cruelty to Nigerians, a review of the Yellow Fever Vaccination Card policy and a commitment that
such a diplomatic slip will not re-occur as the only way to normalize relations with South Africa.
Ambassador Ashiru had told members of the National Assembly that the federal government was on top of the situation, adding that talks had been initiated between officials of both countries.
“We will be giving them measure for measure; we can no longer be taken for a ride. The vice-presidents of both countries will engage in the talks to include broad-based issues beyond the deportation”, he said.
Ashiru however warned that henceforth, Nigeria would deport citizens of any country that deports her nationals on flimsy excuses.His words: “When you deport two Nigerians for flimsy excuses, there will be appropriate responses. The signal must go out to other African countries that Nigeria too can hit back.”
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