A group of Polish students who were recently arrested in Nigeria have been released, according to a statement from the Polish Foreign Ministry on Wednesday.
News About Nigeria reported that the students were detained earlier this month in Kano State for allegedly raising Russian flags during anti-government protests.
The Nigerian authorities claimed to have arrested seven Polish nationals involved in the protests, where demonstrators were seen with Russian flags.
However, the Polish Foreign Ministry quickly denied these accusations, stating that the students were not participating in the protest but were merely in the vicinity.
Poland’s Deputy Foreign Minister, Andrzej Szejna, clarified that the detained individuals were six students and their lecturer, all of whom were studying African studies.
He maintained that the group was not carrying any flags and that their presence at the protest was purely coincidental.
“This is a group of African studies students who found themselves in the wrong place at the wrong time,” Szejna explained.
“They were carrying no flags, but it seems that they were taking photos, which may have been misinterpreted.”
In a recent update, the Polish Foreign Ministry announced via social media platform X that the students have been released and are currently in Kano. “Thank you to everyone involved in the release of the Polish citizens!” the ministry stated.
The arrests occurred amid widespread protests across Nigeria, which began on August 1.
Nigerians have been demonstrating against President Bola Tinubu’s economic reforms, which have led to the partial removal of fuel and electricity subsidies, currency devaluation, and soaring inflation rates.
The presence of Russian flags at some protests sparked speculation about potential foreign influence, particularly in light of recent coups in African nations such as Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger.
