iPhone | iPad
Android
Huawei
British Prime Minister promises 'the biggest reimagining' of the NHS since it was founded 76 years ago
KT APPDOWNLOAD
Nigeria arrests seven Polish nationals for raising Russian flags at protests
Nigeria's Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa, has called the brandishing of a foreign flag during anti-government protests as a 'treasonable offence'
A man holds a Russian flag, as Nigerians protest on the streets during anti-government demonstrations against bad governance and economic hardship, in Kaduna state, Nigeria, on Monday. REUTERS
Nigeria has arrested seven Polish nationals for raising Russian flags during anti-government protests this week in the northern state of Kano, Peter Afunanya, a spokesperson for the state security service, said on Wednesday.
Hundreds of thousands of Nigerians have been protesting since August 1 against President Bola Tinubu's painful economic reforms that have seen a partial end to petrol and electricity subsidies, currency devaluation and inflation touching three-decade highs.
Some protesters waved Russian flags during protests this week in northern states, underscoring concerns about increased Russian activity in western Africa. Security services detained some of the tailors they said had made the banners.
Afunanya said the Poles were detained during efforts by the Department of State Services to enforce security. He gave no details as to who they were, but said the operations were not targeting Polish citizens.
Stanislaw Gulinski, a Polish consul to Nigeria, confirmed the arrests at a meeting between Nigeria's foreign minister and diplomats in the capital, Abuja.
"They were arrested two days ago in Kano and last I heard, they were on the plane to Abuja from Kano," he said.
Gulinski declined to comment further when approached by Reuters.
Nigeria's Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa, has called the brandishing of a foreign flag during anti-government protests as a "treasonable offence" after he held security talks with President Bola Tinubu on Monday.
In the northern states of Borno, Kaduna, Kano and Katsina, protesters were seen waving hundreds of Russian flags, with some calling for a military takeover.
The Russian embassy in Nigeria denied any involvement.
More news from World
Talks have so far failed to reach a deal to end the 11-month-old war
Women take on more jobs traditionally filled by men
The Tokyo-based startup aims to follow the success of US-based Intuitive Machines, which in February made the world's first private moon landing
Mission is riskiest yet for Elon Musk's SpaceX
Wealth inequality and climate change are other issues the pope may address
Biden declares federal state of emergency for Louisiana
Some schools have told students to stay home for the rest of the week, while thousands of residents of low-lying areas have been evacuated