Poland has denied that its nationals who were arrested by security operatives in Kano, Nigeria, waved the Russian flag.
The detained Poles were arrested on August 6 in Kano for allegedly displaying Russian flags during the #EndBadGovernance protest held by some Nigerians against economic hardship in the country. Also arrested were six Spanish nationals.
The spokesperson for the Department of State Services, Peter Afunanya, at a meeting of diplomats in Abuja, said the Poles were arrested “because of where they were found during the protests and for displaying foreign flags.”
However, the Polish foreign ministry denied the allegation.
The ministry, according to a Polish international news network, TVP World, said the six students and their lecturer did not participate in the protest but “merely took photos.”
Sunday PUNCH gathered that the students and their lecturer were on an exchange programme at the Bayero University, Kano.
The Poles were said to be students of African Studies at the Oriental Studies Faculty, University of Warsaw.
They left Poland for Nigeria on August 1 and were scheduled to return to their country early September.
The University of Warsaw Press Officer, Anna Modzelewska, said getting the students released was the top priority of the institution.
Modzelewska was quoted by TVP World as saying, “Freeing the UW [University of Warsaw] students is our priority. “We must do everything in our power for that to happen as quickly as possible.”
She added that information was being gathered on the charges against the Poles, disclosing that the University’s Rector, Alojzy Nowak, was in contact with the detainees.
The Polish government, through its Deputy Foreign Minister, Jakub Wisniewski, had on Friday pleaded with Nigeria to release the detainees.
On if they waved the Russian flag, he said, “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.”
Efforts by our correspondents to speak with the Student Affairs and Quality of Teaching of the university, Professor Sławomir Żółtek, proved abortive. Calls put across to his phone number were not answered.
A former Director General of the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs, Professor Bola Akinterinwa, asked the Polish authorities to be patient.
He said, “The Polish government has to be patient and allow the investigation to be completed. The fact is that the security forces did not go to the school to arrest the students; they were picked up along the street during the protest and it is in the right place for the Nigerian government to investigate. It is only after investigation and they (Polish government) feel that the students didn’t get justice that they can intervene. Will they release the foreign students and not release Nigerians arrested?”
Meanwhile, the Chairman of the All Progressives Congress in Poland, Omooba Ayoola, has pleaded with President Bola Tinubu to release the six students and their lecturer.
Ayoola, who is based in Warsaw, begged Tinubu to use his good offices to facilitate the release of the students and their lecturer in the spirit of deepening bilateral cooperation between the two countries.
In a statement on Saturday, Ayoola said, ‘’It is regretted that the Polish nationals were found at the wrong place and at the wrong time.
“However, these students are said to be in the country for academic exchange programmes and we should guide against what can hinder deeper academic cooperation in between the two countries.
“I, therefore, plead that in the spirit of deeper bilateral cooperation, President Tinubu should please passionately look into this disturbing issue and help these students to regain their freedom so that they can focus on their primary purpose of coming to Nigeria”.
