Poland has refuted claims that its nationals, who were arrested by security operatives in Kano, Nigeria, were involved in waving Russian flags during recent protests. The Polish foreign ministry has strongly denied the allegation that the six Polish students and their lecturer, detained on August 6, participated in the #EndBadGovernance protest or displayed any foreign flags.
According to reports, the detainees were apprehended during a protest against economic hardships in Nigeria. The spokesperson for Nigeria’s Department of State Services (DSS), Peter Afunanya, stated that the Poles were arrested “because of where they were found during the protests and for displaying foreign flags.” Additionally, six Spanish nationals were also detained.
However, the Polish foreign ministry, as reported by Polish international news network TVP World, clarified that the individuals in question—students from the University of Warsaw and their lecturer—were in Kano for an academic exchange program at Bayero University. The Polish authorities insist that the group did not participate in the protests but were merely taking photographs.
Anna Modzelewska, the Press Officer for the University of Warsaw, emphasized that securing the release of the detained students is the institution’s highest priority. “Freeing the University of Warsaw students is our priority,” Modzelewska said. “We are committed to ensuring their swift return home.”
The students, who specialize in African Studies at the Oriental Studies Faculty, University of Warsaw, had arrived in Nigeria on August 1 and were expected to return to Poland in early September. The University’s Rector, Alojzy Nowak, is reportedly in ongoing communication with the detainees to address the situation.
Poland’s Deputy Foreign Minister, Jakub Wisniewski, has also called on Nigerian authorities to release the detainees. “I personally find the claim that they waved Russian flags hard to believe,” Wisniewski stated. “We are urging for their safe return, as their loved ones are anxiously waiting for them.”
The Polish government continues to seek clarification and resolution regarding the circumstances of the arrests, while the affected individuals await their release.
