The House Committee had on Monday summoned the Minister to appear before it and explain the relationship between Nigeria and other African Countries over the repatriation of 125 Nigerians aboard South Africa Airline and Arik Air, a Nigerian carrier.
Mrs Elendu-Ukeje did not mince words when she told the Minister that “the whole thing has turned into an affront and the tenets of reciprocity that is the thrust of our diplomatic policy should be invoked in tackling the situation because it was an illegal deportation.”
The Nigerian Embassy was not informed before such an act was perpetuated on Nigerians so it was illegal and should be seen from that purview, Elendu-Ukeje said.
In his response, Ashiru said, “I share the same view with you on the issue but the bi-national Commission headed by both Vice Presidents of both countries had already started discussions on the issue.
“SA does not have a monopoly of deportation as they should not take our friendly business environment for granted.”
“We are going to make sure that we convey the next session of the international commission. I want to make one thing clear, African countries including South Africa should not think Nigeria’s maturity and the friendliness of our people to foreigners for granted.
Also they should not take the friendly business environment we have in Nigeria whereby companies are making more profits from Nigeria than in South Africa for granted. I believe as we go on these are the issues we’ll bring to the table and sort out. I believe that the present administration is determined to ensure the dignity of Nigerians anywhere. When you deport two Nigerians from a country, there will be appropriate reaction. It may not be retaliation but we will know that we are responding one way or the other.
He said “the National Transitional Commission, NTC was not the cause. The issue of NTC is not the problem that gave rise to the deportation that we were faced with. The underlying problem has to do with the attitude of the ordinary South African to Nigerians.
They have a xenophobic attitude towards Nigerians. We have to address this under the international commission between the two countries. Others on immigration procedure, deportation of Nigerians, police harassment, attitude to Nigerians, will be covered under the meeting.
Ashiru said, “We will demand an apology for the act and it will be measure for measure on issues like this.
“South Africa immigration authorities and officials do not have the monopoly of deporting travellers, I’m sure you also saw the newspapers today. So we will get to the root of the problem. South Africa will know that we are very serious on this matter and henceforth any deportation of any Nigeria we will meet it with equal reciprocal measure, we will not let it go ‘”unreciprocated”, that you can take from me, and we intend to do that.”
The Minister further explained that “I was not informed and that’s why we were shocked because for a brotherly country, South Africa should have followed normal diplomatic procedure. You don’t just deport our nationals and deport them back, it’s not done. In fact before they do it, they are supposed to invite our own officials in Jo’burg to come over so that they will parley. But I believe that the immigration officials in South Africa are hostile. “
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