POLISH diplomats on Friday appealed for the release of seven Polish citizens detained in Nigeria, which Warsaw believes stemmed from a misunderstanding during protests in the West African country. The group, consisting of six students and a lecturer from Warsaw University, was participating in a programme to study the Hausa language in Kano, northern Nigeria, when they were detained earlier this week.
Nigeria’s secret service reported that the Poles were arrested for allegedly carrying Russian flags during the protests, a claim Polish officials dispute. Deputy Foreign Minister Jakub Wisniewski met with Nigeria’s charge d’affaires in Warsaw, emphasizing that the students were likely unaware of local customs, culture, and laws. He appealed for their safe return to Poland, where their families await them.
‘I do not believe the students were carrying Russian flags,’ Wisniewski said, noting the rarity of pro-Russian sentiment in Poland, a country with a long history of suffering under Russian rule. Poland strongly opposes Russian aggression in Ukraine and supports Ukraine’s defence.
The detained Poles have been moved to Abuja, where they are safe, and Poland’s consul is scheduled to meet them. Wisniewski also highlighted the ongoing curfew and demonstration ban in Nigeria, where large protests have erupted in response to high inflation and hunger. Some Nigerian protesters in northern states have been seen waving Russian flags, reflecting a growing pro-Russian sentiment in certain parts of Africa.
