Nigeria-South Africa Diplomatic Row: MTN, Multi-Choice Jittery as Nigeria Deports 28 South Africans

Nigeria-South Africa Diplomatic Row: MTN, Multi-Choice Jittery as Nigeria Deports 28 South Africans As Nigeria and South Africa engage in a diplomatic row over the unceremonious deportation of 125 Nigerians from the Oliver Tambo International Airport in Johanesburg after denying them entry into the country for allegedly possessing fake yellow fever certificates the two giant South African firms in Nigeria are beginning to feel jittery for fear that the Nigerian government may hit at them in order to show the South African government it's displeasure over their action. This is even as the Nigerian government denied entry to 28 South Africans at the Murtala Mohamed International Airport, Lagos, last night. ⁠ ⁠ They were expected to be deported last night or this morning. ⁠ ⁠ According to a source "The Federal Government decided to deny these 28 South Africans entry because of invalid documents and relevant health certificate clearance. We are also deporting them back to South Africa. The Presidency has been notified of this action. We will no longer overlook certain procedures which we have condoned in the spirit of African brotherhood." ⁠ ⁠ MTN is particularly facing anxious times because in addition to its vulnerability over the deportation row, it is also the subject of a controversy after the People's Democratic Party (PDP), Osun State chapter, went to court to seek a order revoking the telecommunications license granted to MTN for allegedly giving them incomplete call log details in their case against the incumbent governor of Osun, Rauf Aregbesola. Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola, the unseated governor, had alleged a relationship between ACN chieftains, their lawyers and the President of the Court of Appeal, Justice Ayo Salami and had sought an order of court to persuade the call logs of the personalities involved. However, the PDP alleged that MTN gave incomplete call logs and omitted the offending calls in order to aid the ACN's case. ⁠ ⁠ Already feeling the heat from that court case, the executives at MTN who earn billions of dollars annually from Nigeria are under pressure with the latest round of controversy re the deportation saga. ⁠ ⁠ Interior Minister Albo Moro also spoke to reporters at the State House in Abuja where he said: "I want to assure you on one thing. The Federal Government has the capacity to reciprocate appropriately if it is found that (the deportation) was not done in good faith." adding that "at the moment, Nigeria maintains a very cordial diplomatic relations with South Africa and I can assure you that we will react appropriately if it is found that South Africa has taken unfriendly action against Nigeria. ⁠ ⁠ But many Nigerians are puzzled by the action of the South African gvernment especially as the prevalence of yellow fever is not so high in Nigeria. More interesting is the fact that South Africa has one of the highest HIV/AIDS prevalence rates in the world with over 20% of their population being HIV positive. The arguments of Nigerians is that the Nigerian authorities have a better case for seeking for HIV clearance from South Africans before allowing them entry into Nigeris than the South Africans have of requesting for yellow fever clearance from Nigerians before granting them entry into South Africa.