Poland has denied allegations that its citizens, who were recently detained by security forces in Kano, Nigeria, waved Russian flags during a protest. The detainees, six students and a lecturer from the University of Warsaw, were reportedly arrested on August 6, 2024, for their alleged involvement in a demonstration against economic hardship in Nigeria.
The protest, which was part of the #EndBadGovernance movement, saw the arrest of the Polish nationals alongside six Spanish citizens. The Department of State Services (DSS) spokesperson, Peter Afunanya, explained that the Poles were detained because of their location during the protest and for displaying foreign flags.
However, Poland’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has refuted these claims. According to TVP World, a Polish international news network, the ministry clarified that the students, who were on an exchange program at Bayero University, Kano, did not participate in the protest but were merely taking photographs.
Anna Modzelewska, the press officer for the University of Warsaw, emphasized that securing the release of the students is the institution’s top priority. The university’s rector, Alojzy Nowak, is reportedly in direct contact with the detained students to gather more information on the charges against them.
Poland’s Deputy Foreign Minister, Jakub Wisniewski, has also appealed to Nigerian authorities for the safe return of the detainees, expressing doubt over the accusation that they waved a Russian flag. “I personally find this claim hard to believe. We are urging for their safe return home, where their loved ones are anxiously waiting for them,” Wisniewski stated.
Meanwhile, a former Director General of the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs, Professor Bola Akinterinwa, has advised the Polish government to remain patient and allow the investigation to be completed. He pointed out that the students were arrested on the street during the protest and emphasized the need for due process.
In a related development, Omooba Ayoola, Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Poland, has made a plea to President Bola Tinubu for the release of the students and their lecturer. Ayoola, who resides in Warsaw, urged President Tinubu to intervene in the matter to foster deeper bilateral relations between Nigeria and Poland.
“It is regretted that the Polish nationals were found at the wrong place and at the wrong time,” Ayoola stated, stressing the importance of safeguarding academic cooperation between the two countries. He urged President Tinubu to facilitate the students’ release so they can focus on their academic pursuits in Nigeria.
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