The Russian government has addressed recent reports of its flags being spotted at protests in Kano on Saturday. Yury Paramonov, the spokesman for the Russian Embassy in Abuja, firmly denied any Russian involvement in the demonstrations or related events in Nigeria.
“The Russian Embassy in Nigeria has no information about any groups of protesters using the Russian flag or other state symbols of our country,” Paramonov stated.
“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”, he added.
The sharp rebuttal is coming after some youths protesting against economic hardship in Kano State, waved Russian flags and called on President Vladimir Putin, to intervene over the crisis in Nigeria.
The sight of Russian flags highlights the deep frustration with the Nigerian government’s handling of the economic crisis, which has compounded the issues of hunger and hardship across the nation with over-bloated population.
Meanwhile, some stakeholders have voiced their worries about the implications of this development. Bulama Bukarti, a lawyer, highlighted the growing support for Russia and rising anti-West sentiment in Northern Nigeria.
He noted that the protesters seemed to be organically displaying Russian flags, suggesting an emerging trend that could attract malign actors.
