The Polish government has reacted to the arrest of its citizens in Nigeria for involvement with Russian flags, calling for a thorough investigation.
The claim that seven Polish nationals were responsible for flying Russian flags in the northwestern Nigerian city of Kano prompted a reaction from the Polish government.
During an interview with a private radio station, RMF FM, Andrzej Szejna, the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs for Poland explained that six students and their teacher had found themselves in an unlucky circumstance.
On Thursday, Nigeria’s Department of State Services (DSS) detained several Polish nationals accused of participating in protests against the government’s economic policies.
The Polish Foreign Ministry contended that the members of the group were students and a teacher embarking on an educational journey, rather than taking part in protests.
Read Also: Kano Protest: Seven Polish Nationals Arrested, Transferred to Abuja
President Bola Tinubu’s economic reforms have compounded Nigeria’s already severe cost-of-living crisis, as the country remains Africa’s most populous nation.
There have been widespread protests throughout the country due to reforms intended to increase economic growth and attract foreign investment.
The turmoil has led to multiple casualties, as per Amnesty International’s record of 21 deaths; however, security personnel state that only seven individuals lost their lives.
Following protests that bear resemblance to recent demonstrations in Niger and Burkina Faso prompting closer relations with Moscow after coups, security agencies have apprehended several people who were seen waving Russian flags.
The DSS, accountable for managing potential dangers to national security, blamed the Polish citizens of engaging in dubious actions during the demonstrations by raising Russian flags. However, they did not elaborate on their activities.
Andrzej Szejna reaffirmed that the teacher and students were simply in an unfortunate location at an unfavorable moment.
A statement from Warsaw University has confirmed that the Chancellor of Bayero University in Kano verified the safety of their students. Consequently, they were relocated to Abuja as a precautionary measure.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Poland, together with relevant institutions including consular services, is actively monitoring the situation and staying in touch with families of the students.
The country’s President, Tinubu, has encouraged the citizens to exercise forbearance towards the continuous reforms being implemented by the government. The administration is confident that these changes will eventually lead to economic advantages in due course. Additionally, there have been insinuations from the military suggesting possible attempts by external bodies involved in subversive activities seeking to disrupt governmental affairs using protests as a cover-up tactic.
The online movement #EndBadGovernanceinNigeria gained considerable momentum demanding a decrease in fuel costs and other initiatives to alleviate the economic turmoil.
