Teni Tayo, a Nigerian and an African Development expert, is currently stranded in Dakar, Senegal, after she was deported by authorities in Cape Verde. 

Recounting her experience in a series of tweet on Friday, Teni said upon arrival at Praia, capital of Cape Verde, she and some other nationals were pulled aside while other white travellers were allowed to go through. 

Wanting to know why she and others were asked to stay behind, Teni approached authorities at the airport. She was told they were not “allowed to visit because of COVID-19”.

Not satisfied with the response, Teni asked further why the white people and her American friend were let through. According to her, Cape Verde authorities said they decided who could stay and who could go.

So I got deported today. Mostly because I am black but also because I am Nigerian.

I got on a flight to Praia, #CapeVerde from Dakar, Senegal but have now been sent back to Dakar. pic.twitter.com/N2ZhBax0PN

— Teni T. 😷 (@aloinett) April 2, 2021

“All of the white people were allowed to go through as well as my black friend with an American passport. Then some woman came and snatched the passports from the rest of us without any explanation. Another guy came and told us that they were sending us back.

“Why? That we were not allowed to visit because of COVID. Then we asked why the white people and my American friend were let through. They said they decided who could stay and who could go. So everyone with a Western passport went through. In West Africa.”

Pelumi Obisesan, another Nigerian, corroborated Teni’s claims, saying three Nigerians were sent back, in all.

I was shocked when it became certain that we – including 3 Nigerians – were going to be denied entry into #CapeVerde. We had all the entry requirements. The pretext, despite lack of pre-information, was that holidays are not allowed due to COVID-19 restrictions. https://t.co/jZVtWhg9IA

— Pelumi Obisesan (@ipelumiobisesan) April 2, 2021

When contacted, Abdur-Rahman Balogun, Head of Media and Public Relations, Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM), said: “No formal complaints has been made. Does she have her COVID-19 certificate to show that she is negative? You can’t travel without it. Maybe she did not have it. Tell her to petition us.”