David Hundeyin threatens showdown with Zimbabwean govt after brief detention by country’s immigration police

Nigerian activist journalist, David Hundeyin, has replied to the Zimbabwe Permanent Secretary in the Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Service, Nick Mangwana, on allegation that he came into the South African country with irregular travel papers.

On Wednesday, Hundeyin raised an alarm that he had been detained by the Zimbabwe government at the Harare Airport.

He said he was detained inside “a smelly locked room for nearly seven hours” according to an account he shared on his Twitter handle.

But he was later released and escorted out of the airport by the Zimbabwe officials.

Mangwana later explained why it arrested and detained Hundeyin, saying he was carrying a Nigerian Passport, sought asylum in Ghana and traveled to Zimbabwe with the same papers.

Mangwana had added that the journalist was therefore “promptly arrested, detained and deported.”

Reacting Hundeyin wrote, “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.”