Hunger Protest: Poland denies involvement of detained nationals
Poland has refuted claims that its nationals arrested in Kano, Nigeria, were involved in the #EndBadGovernance protest by waving Russian flags. The six Polish students and their lecturer were detained on August 6, 2024, during the protest against economic hardship in the country. Nigerian security operatives also arrested six Spanish nationals in connection with the incident.
According to the Department of State Services (DSS) spokesperson, Peter Afunanya, the Poles were apprehended due to their presence at the protest site and for allegedly displaying foreign flag However, the Polish foreign ministry has denied these allegations, insisting that the students were not part of the protest but were only taking photos.
The students, who were on an exchange program at Bayero University, Kano, are from the University of Warsaw’s Oriental Studies Faculty, specializing in African Studies. They were expected to return to Poland in early September.
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Anna Modzelewska, the press officer of the University of Warsaw, emphasized that the university’s top priority is securing the students’ release. The Polish Deputy Foreign Minister, Jakub Wisniewski, also expressed disbelief over the accusation of waving Russian flags and urged for the safe return of the detainees
In response, former Director General of the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs, Professor Bola Akinterinwa, advised the Polish authorities to be patient and allow the investigation to be completed. He emphasized the importance of due process and fairness in the investigation.
Omooba Ayoola, the Chairman of the All Progressives Congress in Poland, has also appealed to President Bola Tinubu to facilitate the release of the detained students and their lecturer in the spirit of strengthening bilateral relations between Nigeria and Poland. Ayoola urged the Nigerian government to consider the students’ academic purposes in the country and to avoid hindering future academic cooperation between the two nations.
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