Nigeria’s Department of State Services (DSS) has announced the arrest of several tailors in Kano State for allegedly producing Russian flags intended for #EndBadGovernanceInNigeria protests. The secret police revealed this development in a statement posted on its official X handle on Monday.
The DSS’s statement clarified that an investigation is underway and that the sponsors of these tailors have also been apprehended. However, the DSS emphasized that the National Coordinator of the Youth Rights Campaign, Adaramoye Michael, also known as Michael Lenin, is not in their custody, contrary to some media reports.
“The DSS can confirm that Adaramoye Michael (aka Michael Lenin) is not in its custody. Meanwhile, the Service has apprehended some tailors in Kano State responsible for making Russian flags being distributed in the area. Some of their sponsors have also been picked. An investigation is ongoing,” the statement read.
Earlier on Monday, police also reported the arrest of the supplier of the Russian flags and 30 protesters. The nationwide demonstrations, which began on August 1, are a reaction to the severe hardships faced by Nigerians.
Sunday PUNCH reported that former envoys and ex-military officers have expressed concern over the appearance of Russian flags and the chants of “Welcome, Russia; Welcome, Russia” by demonstrators in some northern states. Russia, a major Eastern power currently engaged in geopolitical conflicts with the West, has been criticized for alleged involvement in unconstitutional government changes in West African nations such as Niger, Mali, and Burkina Faso.
In response to these developments, the Russian Embassy in Nigeria issued a statement on Monday denying any involvement in the protests or coordination of the flag-waving activities. The embassy emphasized that neither the Russian government nor its officials are connected to these actions.
“The use of Russian symbols by the protesters is attributed to personal choices and does not reflect any official policy or position of the Russian government,” the embassy’s statement said.
