News
Russia Reacts As #EndBadGovernance Protesters Wave Russian Flag

By Kayode Sanni-Arewa
Concerns have been raised by some Nigerians, including former military officers and diplomats, after protesters at the ongoing #EndBadGovernance protest waved what seemed to be the Russian flag.
These individuals warned that such actions could pose security risks for the nation, urging both the government and citizens to be cautious about potential foreign interference.
The protests, which began on August 1, are a response to the severe economic hardships facing Nigerians.
According to the Nigerian Police Force spokesman, Muyiwa Adejobi, 7 deaths has been recorded during the demonstrations that started on Thursday.
Adejobi also said a total of 681 suspects have been arrested so far for various violent crimes during the protests.
Images and videos of protesters in Kano displaying Russian flags have gone viral, as they chanted in Hausa, “We don’t want bad government.”
This has led to concerns among prominent Nigerians about the potential security implications.
A lawyer, Bulama Bukarti, noted the emergence of pro-Russian sentiments in Northern Nigeria, writing, “Two aspects of the ongoing hunger protest in Nigeria particularly intrigue me. Firstly, there is a small but growing support for Russia and a corresponding rise in anti-West sentiment, especially in Northern Nigeria.
“Some protesters in Kano carried the Nigerian flag alongside the Russian flag, and there have been calls from some participants for demonstrators to bring Russian flags and photos of Vladimir Putin to seek Russia’s assistance.
“More concerning is that these protesters do not seem to be affiliated with any pro-Russian group; they simply made amateur flags as observed by @Aliyussufiy who took the first photo, suggesting that this sentiment is developing organically. This trend is likely to expand, especially as malign actors may observe and exploit it.”
A former presidential aide, Bashir Ahmad, emphasized the need for authorities to monitor the situation and take necessary precautions.
“This may indicate various underlying sentiments or influences that need to be carefully assessed and addressed by the government,” he said.
Award-winning journalist Philip Obaji Jr. remarked, “President Vladimir Putin and Russia must be excited to learn that Russian flags were displayed by a number of protesters in Kano in northwestern Nigeria during today’s Enough Is Enough protest to #EndBadGovernace.”
The Russian government has been linked to military coups in several West African countries, including Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger, where military regimes have distanced themselves from ECOWAS, chaired by Nigerian President Bola Tinubu.
Security experts have raised alarms about the implications of Russian flags appearing at the protests.
Retired Brig.-Gen. Bashir Adewinbi while speaking with Sunday PUNCH, urged caution, stating, “It is unfortunate that some Nigerians are waving foreign flags in a national protest. Our people should be careful; they should not create room for anybody to destroy our country.
“I must say that a coup can never happen in Nigeria. There can be no coup attempt against President Bola Tinubu. The security chiefs are with him and he has educated them. I don’t think any senior officer will come out and announce anything like a coup in Nigeria. We are all united, we are for the unity of the people, and we will maintain it. We will protect our democracy.”
Retired Director of the Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Adesola Abolurin, emphasized the need for ECOWAS intervention, attributing the call for Russian involvement to the proximity of Northern Nigeria to Niger Republic.
He expressed concern that the Russian flags might have been smuggled across the border, stressing the urgency of resolving regional crises.
Abolurin said, “This should not be unexpected given the volatile situation of that region, particularly since they are nearer to Niger Republic, so that is expected and, the organisers of the protest should have known that the protest will be hijacked by foreign agencies; where do they get the Russian flags from? They must have gotten them from across the border and one will expect that people will infiltrate our border from Niger and Somali and that is exactly what has happened now.
“The Russian flags must have come directly from the border. And the earlier the ECOWAS intervene in the crisis in the region, particularly in Niger Republic and Mali, the earlier they approach them, appeal to them to come back to the fold, the better.
“Already in Kano they have the issue of Emirship and this should have put into consideration by security agencies, but unfortunately, that was never done. They have a lot of problems already in the North, every little destruction in the North will escalate from the other side.”
Ex-DSS Director Mike Ejiofor stressed the need for a strong government response, cautioning against dismissing the significance of foreign flags. He highlighted the risk of foreign influence attempting regime change in Nigeria.
“In the security circle, you don’t dismiss such negative display. You will recall that the DSS had an intelligence report that there was a foreign influence in what is going on and that what the protesters are trying to achieve is a regime change. Russia has no business in interfering in Nigeria’s internal affairs.
“We have to intensify our intelligence gathering efforts both the national intelligence agency and the state security service must look at these threats even though they had highlighted them earlier. Citizens must also be security conscious of whatever that is happening around them,” Ejiofor said.
Col. Abdulwahab Ademola Lawal of the Savannah Centre for Development and Training discussed the expansion of Russian influence in Africa, noting, “This new trend threatens Nigerian stability, with Russian influence pressing down from Niger and Mali. The anti-West sentiment across Africa is growing, and we must be wary of these emerging security challenges.”
Meanwhile, the Russian Embassy in Nigeria, through Press Secretary, Yury Paramonov, denied any involvement in the protests, stating, “The Russian Embassy in Nigeria does not have any information about any groups of protesters using the Russian flag or other state symbols of our country. We have not seen such photo or video materials and would appreciate it if The Punch could provide us with such materials if they exist. Even if such incidents did occur, it would be the decision of individuals. We do not know why they might have used Russian flags.
“The Russian Federation is in no way involved in the current events in Nigeria. Moreover, Russia does not provide any material or financial support to the protesters
News
Reps Pass For Second Reading Bill To Enhance Rural Agricultural Innovation

By Glori Ikibah
The House of Representatives has passed through second reading, a bill seeking to amend the Agricultural Research Council of Nigeria Act, by expanding its mandate to establish specialised training institutions across the country to deepen national agricultural productivity capacity.
The piece of legislation is titled, ” A Bill for an Act to Amend the Agricultural Research Council of Nigeria Act, Cap. A12, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004, to Provide for the Establishment of Certain Specialised Colleges; and for Other Related Matters”, was sponsored by the Deputy Speaker, Rep. Benjamin Kalu and six others.
Leading the debate on the general principles, on Wednesday at plenary, Rep. Kalu restated that agriculture remains a vital part of Nigeria’s economy and a key driver of rural development, job creation, food security, and national GDP.
According to him, Nigeria continues to face glaring gaps in research and innovation, especially in regions where unique agricultural potential remains untapped due to the absence of tailored educational institutions.
That is what this bill seeks address, by bridging this gap. He explained that the amendment will not simply be adding institutions, but will serve as an investment in untapped potential, and empowerment of those whose hands feed the nation.
Kalu is hopeful that when the bill is signed into law, it will lead to stronger agricultural research ecosystem; more employment and entrepreneurship opportunities for Nigerians; greater food security and overall economic growth.
He said: “this is not merely to introduce a legislative proposal, but to lay before this Peoples House a vision to take agricultural education into the fabric of our national development strategy and effort. A vision that recognises that research and innovation must not remain in silos or city centres, but must live where the land is tilled, where the livestock roam, where the rivers run.
“Through this amendment, we are not simply adding institutions — we are answering a national call -a call to invest where there is untapped potential, to empower those whose hands feed the nation, and to deepen our national agricultural productivity capacity by expanding the mandate and reach of the Agricultural Research Council of Nigeria through the establishment of specialised training institutions in various parts of our great nation by establishing certain specialised agricultural colleges in strategic locations across the six geo-political zones.
“This bill which comprises three clauses principally seeks to amend the Third Schedule of the Principal Act to provide for the establishment of the following specialized colleges of agriculture – (a) Federal College of Veterinary and Medical Laboratory Technology, Bende, Abia State; (b} Federal College of Land Resources Technology, Takum, Adamawa State.
“(c) Federal College of Land Resources Technology, Ikole Ekiti, Ekiti State; (d) Federal College of Freshwater Fisheries Technology, Ikot Ekpene, Akwa Ibom State; (e) Federal College of Anima} Health and Production Technology, Dange Shuni, Sokoto State; (f} Federal College of Animal Health and Production Technology, Olamaboro, Kogi State.”
News
Nigeria Congratulates Friedrich Merz on Election as Germany’s New Chancellor

By Gloria Ikibah
The Federal Government of Nigeria has extended heartfelt congratulations to the Federal Republic of Germany on the election of Friedrich Merz as the new Chancellor.
Merz, leader of Germany’s conservative bloc, secured his position with 325 votes in the 630-seat Bundestag during a vote held on Tuesday, May 6, 2025. His emergence marks a new chapter in German leadership and has been hailed by Nigeria as a demonstration of the strength and maturity of Germany’s democratic system.
In a statement signed by Kimiebi Imomotimi Ebienfa, spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Nigeria praised the peaceful and transparent electoral process that led to Merz’s victory and commended Germany for its steadfast commitment to democratic values.
“Nigeria commends Germany’s strong democratic traditions and values, which have once again been demonstrated through a peaceful and transparent electoral process.
“We are confident that under Friedrich Merz’s leadership, Germany will continue to play a pivotal role in advancing global peace, stability, and prosperity”, the statement read.
The statement reaffirmed the long-standing ties between Nigeria and Germany, highlighting key areas such as trade, investment, security, and sustainable development as critical pillars of cooperation.
“As longstanding partners, Nigeria looks forward to deepening bilateral relations with Germany in areas of mutual interest”, Ebienfa said, as he stressed Nigeria’s readiness to collaborate further in multilateral spaces like the United Nations.
Nigeria conveyed best wishes to the new Chancellor for a successful tenure and reiterated its willingness to work closely with Germany for the mutual benefit of both countries and the international community.
Friedrich Merz succeeds Olaf Scholz as Chancellor, taking the reins at a time of significant political and economic shifts in Europe.
News
High Airfare Costs Hindering West African Unity – Speaker Ibrahima

…as ECOWAS say airfare within the region is highest
By Gloria Ikibah
Speaker of the ECOWAS Parliament, Hon. Mémounatou Ibrahima, has raised concerns over the soaring cost of air travel across West Africa, warning that it poses a serious threat to regional integration and the free movement of citizens.
Speaking on Tuesday at the opening session of a regional parliamentary meeting in Lomé, Togo, Ibrahima said the current state of air transport within the sub-region is far from ideal, especially for a region that has long preached the gospel of unity and seamless mobility.
“Without affordable and efficient transport systems, the dream of a truly integrated West Africa will remain out of reach,” she said.
The meeting, which falls under the Sixth Legislature’s delocalised sessions, brought together members of the ECOWAS Parliament’s Joint Committee on Infrastructure, Energy and Mines, Agriculture, Environment, and Natural Resources. The session is themed: “Air Transport as a Means of Integration for West African Peoples: A Strategy for Reducing Airline Ticket Costs.”
Participants included aviation experts, policymakers, and civil society actors, all focused on developing workable strategies to address the high cost of airfares—a problem many say discourages both business and cultural exchanges among member states.
Ibrahima underscored the importance of air transport not only for economic growth but as a symbol of unity in a region where road networks remain underdeveloped and borders, though open in theory, are still difficult to cross in practice.
She blamed the soaring airfares to multiple taxes and charges imposed across airports in the region, fragmentation of the aviation market and poor infrastructure.
She said: “The theme that brings us together today, ‘Air Transport as a Means of Integration for West African Peoples: A Strategy for Reducing Airline Ticket Costs,’ is of paramount importance to our community. It reflects a major issue facing our citizens: the prohibitive costs of air travel between our countries, which hinder the free movement of people and compromise our ambitions for regional integration.
“Therefore, there is no need to emphasize the importance of air transport in a country’s economy, especially within a sub-regional community. Indeed, air transport is an essential lever for economic development and sub-regional integration. It promotes trade, stimulates tourism, strengthens cultural and social ties, and contributes to the growth of our economies. In reality, there can be no free movement without transport facilitation. And among these facilitations, transport costs figure prominently.
“These airports contribute financially to state budgets in several ways, including landing fees, air ticket taxes, security taxes, non-aviation taxes, and revenues from commercial activities at the airport. However, it is clear that all these fees make air ticket costs prohibitive within the ECOWAS region, thus hampering a major driver of development: tourism.
“For my part, several factors may contribute to the high cost of air fares in our region. These include, among others: excessive taxation and high airport fees; a fragmented aviation market, with national airlines operating in isolation rather than in synergy; a lack of modern infrastructure adapted to the needs of air transport; weak implementation of agreements liberalizing African airspace, notably the Yamoussoukro Declaration.”
The Speaker further warned of the implications for the region’s long-term goals, noting that the ECOWAS Vision 2050 would remain elusive without an efficient and affordable air transport system.
“If we are to achieve the objectives of the third pillar of ECOWAS Vision 2050, ‘Economic Integration and Interconnectivity,’ it is up to us, as representatives of the peoples of ECOWAS and in view of our responsibility in the Community’s decision-making process, to explore viable and sustainable solutions. Our role is crucial in the realization of these reforms”, she warned.
Ibrahima therefore urged the Legislature to develop strong recommendations that would guide Member States and relevant institutions in establishing a policy framework for more accessible regional air transport.
“I am convinced that the discussions that will take place during this meeting, to which we have invited African air transport experts and leaders, will be fruitful and will lead to concrete proposals to address this major challenge.
“Together, let us commit to working towards more efficient regional aviation, serving the integration and development of our community and for significant progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the aspirations that underpinned the African Union’s Agenda 2063”, she added.
Delivering the keynote address, Vice-President of the Togolese National Assembly, Dzereke Yao, described the theme of the meeting as both timely and crucial. He stressed that the issue of air travel within West Africa can no longer be treated as secondary, given its central role in connecting economies and people across the sub-region.
Yao warned that the high cost of airline tickets is steadily eroding the progress made toward regional integration, arguing that it discourages interaction, trade, and mobility among citizens of ECOWAS member states.
He also used the occasion to commend President Faure Essozimna Gnassingbé for what he called his consistent commitment to African unity and cross-border collaboration.
According to him, “Togo continues to play a pivotal role in ECOWAS affairs, thanks to the President’s leadership and the country’s steady investment in aviation and transport infrastructure”.
Yao urged delegates to approach the meeting with a clear sense of purpose, insisting that the deliberations must result in actionable outcomes and not just talk.
“This gathering must produce more than a communique,” he said. “The citizens of West Africa are waiting for real solutions that will make regional travel less of a luxury and more of a right.
“This paradoxical situation merits our attention because our community boasts considerable potential, whether in population size, economic growth, or youthful dynamism.
“I therefore hope that it will lead to solid, pragmatic, and ambitious recommendations,” he urged, adding that a competitive and open airspace would benefit all citizens in the region”, he said.
Yao explained that the geographical location of Togo and modern facilities, gave the country a strategic edge in facilitating regional air mobility.
The vice-president also ememphasised the importance of translating political will into sustainable reforms that will boost connectivity and unlock economic opportunities across the sub-region.
Alao ECOWAS Commissioner for Infrastructure, Energy and Digitalization, Sédiko Douka, disclosed that recent studies conducted by renowned organizations showed that air transportation within West Africa is still less than 10 percent, which represents the lowest.
According to Douka, this situation has become a barrier to the integration of the region. This is as he said the ECOWAS leadership was concerned with the situation and has mandated the Commission to coordinate and harmonize the air transport policies, programs, and projects of Member States.
He stressed the importance of the Lome meeting to address the gap, revealing that the meeting has the blessing of the Heads of State and Government.
He said: “The air tariff in West Africa remains excessively high compared to other countries in the world. In this case, it is less expensive to make the flight to another African country than to travel between two countries in ECOWAS. This situation is counterproductive for the future of the West African region and the collective airspace.
“That recent studies conducted by renowned organizations in 2024 have shown low growth in air transport in West Africa (less than 10%). This, at a time when other regions, for example, record 40.4% for North Africa, 21.4% for Southern Africa, and 20.5% for East Africa. Other comparisons made in terms of domestic flights, intra-African travel, major airlines, and airport size have also shown that West Africa lags far behind these same regions mentioned above.
“In response to this instruction, a meeting of Ministers responsible for Air Transport was convened on November 8, 2024, here in Lomé. The meeting concluded with modalities for the gradual reduction of taxes, fees, and charges aimed at making air transport more affordable. Thus, an Additional Act A/SA.2/12/24 6, relating to the common policy on fees, taxes and air transport charges in ECOWAS Member States and its implementation strategy, were adopted by the Ministers and submitted to the Conference of Heads of State and Government of ECOWAS on December 15, 2024, which endorsed them.”
“Our primary concern is to comply with ICAO principles and recommendations on setting charges, which are: (i) non-discrimination between users, (ii) transparency, appropriate pricing for services provided, and (iii) user consultation.”
“The recommendations made by the Ministers to Member States for efficient regional air transport include, among others: Commit to eliminating all taxes in accordance with these ICAO principles and recommendations;”
“Reduce the passenger service charge and the security charge by 25%; reduce the cost of aviation fuel, etc.”
“All this, with the aim, I say, of making our region efficient in terms of air transport, with its 400 million inhabitants”, he said.
He also charged the meeting to consider the issue of common rules for passenger compensation in the event of denied boarding, cancellation, or significant delays of a flight within the ECOWAS region.
“The task now lies in working towards the implementation of these community texts by ECOWAS member states, whose effective implementation start date has been set for January 1, 2026, a 15-month period to allow them to prepare, particularly from a budgetary perspective”, he stated.
The ECOWAS Commissioner also charged Members of Parliament that the region is counting on them “to implement the community texts that the states themselves initiated and participated in the development, review, and adoption process.”
He therefore urged them to engage strongly with member states to raise awareness about the implementation of these additional acts with a view to the sustainable development of air transport in West Africa.
“As ECOWAS celebrates its 50th anniversary, it is an opportune time to highlight the organization’s visibility. While many achievements have been made in various areas/sectors of regional integration, these remain largely unknown to ordinary citizens, either due to a lack of awareness, communication, or simply the highly political orientation given to ECOWAS’s vision by stakeholders. Opportunities such as these allow you, as a Representative of the People, to gain a comprehensive view of the challenges, issues, strengths/weaknesses, opportunities/threats, and sectoral achievements,” he added.
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