* Row was growing after 125 Nigerians deported
* South Africa says incident was handled badly
* Two African powers jostle for regional dominance
By Cosmas Butunyi
PRETORIA, March 8 (Reuters) – South Africa apologised
to Nigeria on Thursday for deporting 125 Nigerians accused of
trying to enter the country with fake vaccination certificates,
seeking to defuse a growing dispute between Africa’s two biggest
economies.
Deputy foreign minister Ebrahim Ismail told a news
conference the government had sent a letter of apology over the
“regrettable incident” that spiralled into tit-for-tat
expulsions of South Africans and a threat of action against
South African companies in Nigeria.
Last week, officials at Johannesburg airport deported 125
Nigerians, saying their yellow fever vaccination certificates
were fakes – the latest twist in a long-standing rivalry between
the powers vying for dominance in the continent.
Nigeria responded with the deportation of 84 South Africans.
The South African government is not seeking an apology from
Nigeria over the deportation of its citizens, Ebrahim told
reporters, flanked by Nigerian diplomats.
Continued…
