Nigerian Security Forces on Alert After Citizens Fly Russian Flags in Ongoing Protests

On Monday, the country’s secret service released a statement on X stating that it had “apprehended some tailors in Kano State responsible for making Russian flags being distributed in the area.” The flying of Russian flags was first noticed in Kano on the first day of the protest and has now spread to Kaduna and the outskirts of the capital city Abuja.

“We are waving the Russian flag because Tinubu's government is not listening to us. Russian presidents always support African nations’ development, unlike other nations,” Lawal Kodo, a protester in Kano told Reuters.

Over the last few years, Russia has become closely allied with several West African countries, most notably Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso, countries currently led by military leaders following coups. The three countries recently pulled out of ECOWAS and launched their own confederation, largely due to grievances with the regional body and also to cut ties with the West, especially former colonizer France.

In Niger, Russian flags were spotted in pro-coup protests after the current military junta ousted former President Mohammed Bazoum.

However, the Russian embassy in Nigeria has distanced itself from the flags flying around, saying that it “respect(s) Nigerian democracy” and condemns any violence happening in the protests. “As always, we [emphasize] that Russia does not interfere in the domestic affairs of foreign states, including Nigeria. These intentions of some protesters to wave Russian flags are personal choices of individuals, and they do not reflect any official position or policy of the Russian Government on the issue.”

Speaking to reporters on Monday after a meeting with President Tinubu, Gen. Musa emphasized security forces’ commitment to defending the democratic sovereignty of Nigeria, and said protesters caught with flags would be tried for treason.

“A lot of us have seen it where foreign flags have been flown within the sovereignty of Nigeria, and that is totally unacceptable,” he said. “Democracy is what we stand for; democracy is what we will continue to defend. For those of them flying flags, and if you see, a lot of them are kids being pushed to do that. We’re following up with those ones that are sponsoring them.”

While the momentum of the protests continues in the north, although marred by looting, violence and reports of police brutality, demonstrations in the south have largely died down. Some of that is due to the crackdown by police and state forces. Earlier today in the commercial hub Lagos, reporters from News Central TV said one of the designated protest grounds in the state was being heavily patrolled by police in riot gear, and the crew captured the moment where thugs harassed and sent them away from the vicinity of the protests.

In an address on Sunday, President Tinubu asked for an end to the protests, saying that his administration has been working towards easing the economic conditions of Nigeria, and citing achievements like increase in revenue and a new minimum wage. However, the speech, which leaked online before it was broadcast, was greeted with mixed reactions, as many Nigerians said the president didn’t address the reasons for protesters’ agitations, like the high cost of fuel, increased electricity tariff, and more concerns.

“Your speech reads like a page from your party manifesto and terribly failed to connect to what our citizens on the streets are angry and protesting about,” former education minister, Oby Ezekwesili, wrote in a widely circulated X post. “Your speech is quite a monumental missed opportunity to placate citizens with sound answers and outline of convincing evidence-based actions that you and your [government] will immediately take to address the priority #BadGovernance concerns.”