Poland Demands Release of Citizens Arrested by DSS: “They Are Students, Lecturer Taking Pictures, Not Spies

Poland is currently negotiating the release of seven Polish nationals who were detained by Nigeria’s Secret Service (SSS) on Monday. The group, consisting of six students and a lecturer from the Faculty of Oriental Studies at the University of Warsaw, was arrested in Kano for allegedly taking photos during nationwide protests against the administration of President Bola Tinubu.

The protests, which erupted in response to rising hunger and economic challenges, saw some demonstrators displaying Russian flags—a move that led the SSS to suspect the Polish citizens of espionage.

However, Polish authorities have refuted these allegations. Deputy Foreign Minister Andrzej Szejna stated that the detainees were not carrying any flags but were merely documenting the protests with photographs. “Polish consular services are seeking their release and are in contact with both Nigerian authorities and the students’ families,” Mr. Szejna was quoted as saying by the Polish Press Agency (PAP).

The situation escalated in Kano after the state’s governor, Abba Yusuf, imposed a curfew in response to earlier incidents of vandalism and unrest. The University of Warsaw has also issued a statement, noting that the students’ decision to venture out at night was seen by local authorities as a violation of the law.

SSS spokesperson Peter Afunanya, during a diplomatic meeting in Abuja on Wednesday, defended the arrests, citing the location of the Poles during the protests and their alleged involvement in displaying foreign flags. The display of Russian flags has become a contentious issue in Nigeria, as it has in other African nations experiencing political instability, and the Nigerian government is cracking down on such activities during the ongoing #EndHunger protests.