Yesterday, the Polish government begged Nigeria to free the seven Polish citizens detained in Kano for allegedly flying the Russian flag during the city’s recent hunger protest.
In a meeting with Nigeria’s charge d’affaires in Warsaw, deputy foreign minister Jakub Wisniewski spoke in favour of the release of the six students and lecturer who had been detained.
They had travelled from Warsaw University to participate in a language course in Hausa.
“During the meeting, I conveyed that I was convinced that the students´ behavior could have resulted from their ignorance of local customs, culture and laws.
“I appealed for the possibility of their return to Poland, to their homes, where their families are waiting for them,” Wisniewski said.
However, Wisniewski wouldn’t accept that the students were carrying Russian flags, presumably due to the uncommon pro-Russian stance in his nation.
The people of this Central European nation are extremely sceptical of what they perceive to be Russian aggression in Ukraine because they have painful recollections of living under Russian authority in the past.
The seven Poles, according to Wisniewski, were transported to Abuja and are safe and they were supposed to meet with the consul of Poland yesterday afternoon.
The Poles were being questioned, according to the Department of State Services (DSS), which made the announcement of their detention on Wednesday.
The Federal Government issued a warning against foreign meddling in the protests, threatening to take “appropriate action” against any “foreign entity residing in Nigeria” that was involved in the demonstrations either directly or indirectly.
Due to their apparent involvement in the protests, six Spaniards were also taken into custody.
Regarding the detained Poles and others, DSS spokesman Dr. Peter Afunanya stated: “We have picked up the people from Kano because that is where they were located during the protest and display of the foreign flag, which was two days ago.
“As a responsible security organisation, we owe it an obligation to do some verification and ascertain basic reasons and circumstances for some cases.
“They were picked as a result of security enforcement because of where they were when the incident happened.
“It is not a targeted operation on behalf of the DSS and Nigeria.
“But we have a plea. In the cause of the discharge of our duty, we will also see that some Nigerians definitely would want to use foreign lands as a launch pad to attack domestic peace and stability.
“We plead that you do not offer your country to some persons who may be deviant or have a terrorist inclination.
“Nigeria is a country with a large population and I believe that the support other countries will give will help us.”
According to him, Polish people were not the objective of the arrests.
Afunanya further issued a warning, saying that anyone found to have funded the protests would not be spared.
Minister of foreign affairs,Yusuf Tuggar also spoke at a diplomatic corps briefing, emphasising the importance of the “cordial relationships it has with many foreign nations” and adding that Nigeria will not stand by and allow foreign entities to intervene in its domestic issues.
He said: “The government would take appropriate action against any foreign entity residing in Nigeria that is found to have directly or indirectly supported the protesters by whatever means or seeks to interfere in the internal affairs of the country.”
Following news that the cost of living protest organisers were mobilising for the “grand finale” today, the police declared yesterday that they were prepared to avert any collapse in law and order.
ACP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, the force’s public relations officer, stated that the police would not be taken by surprise and that the demonstrators’ behaviour will be managed properly across the country.
Adejobi said: “We are always ready for any eventuality. We are not taking anything for granted. The situation will be handled professionally.”
