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