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An unspoken fear that Russia may be surreptitiously interfering in Nigeria’s internal affairs, had been suspected !
Some numbers of demonstrators were seeing waving Russian flag during the ongoing hardship protest.
And Not a few, including Ex-envoys, former military officers are worried about the development.
They said the scene did not portend well for the country and warned Nigerians and the Federal Government to guard against foreign incursion.
Gombe State Governor, Muhammadu Yahaya, on Thursday, described as worrisome and disappointing the waving of the Russian flag by northern youths during the #EndBadGovernanceInNigeria protest, which turned violent in some northern states
Yahaya, who is the Chairman of the Northern Governors’ Forum, made the remark during his visit on Thursday to Kumo in the Akko Local Government Area of the state.
The governor, who was in the town to inaugurate the Kumo General Hospital, was welcomed by youths of the town waving the Nigerian flag at his convoy.
Yahaya said he felt relieved and proud to see youths waving the Nigerian flag, noting that the use of the Russian flag by the hunger protesters was disappointing.
The use of the Russian flag generated concerns in the government, which immediately sent security agents after the youths.
In Gombe, the police arrested no fewer than 10 suspects, while some foreigners believed to have sponsored the demonstration with the Russian flags were arrested and are being grilled by the Department of State Services.
Russian flags were displayed by a number of protesters in Kano in northwestern Nigeria during today’s Enough Is Enough protest to #EndBadGovernace.”
YOUNEWS understands that the spreading fear is a result of history and trends.
Russia, an Eastern power, has been fingered in the coup d’etats in some West African countries, notably Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger.
The military governments of the three countries have also pulled out of the Economic Community of West African States being chaired by President Bola Tinubu of Nigeria.
Russians do not mind having military coup detat and military government in this State, but the US and the Western power are concerned about democracy.
The Russians are trying to create regime security for authority in those places where they are threatened.
“This is a new trend that we should watch out for. It means that there are promoters of this new trend and the influence is pressing down from Niger and Mali to continue to distabilise Nigeria.
Nigeria should be worried by this, we should be worried because it means that there is an extension of Russian influence in Nigeria now.
If you look at what is currently going on in the Sahel, there is a lot of Russian influence in the Sahel, they are already in Sudan, they are in Mali, they are in Niger, they are in Bukina Faso, they are in Central African Republic.
So Russian influence in Africa is expanding, I won’t be surprised if there are elements in Kano who want to gnashed into this question of Russian influence in Africa.
The nationwide protest, which commenced on Thursday, August 1, was in response to the hardship experienced by citizens in the country.
No fewer than 17 people were reportedly killed by security agents, who also arrested many protesters across the country.
A lawyer, Bulama Bukarti, said the images indicated the growing support for Russia in Northern Nigeria.
A former presidential aide, Bashir Ahmad, asked the authorities to monitor the situation and take precautions.
“This may indicate various underlying sentiments or influences that need to be carefully assessed and addressed by the government,” he added.
An award-winning journalist, Philip Obaji Jr. said, “President Vladimir Putin and Russia must be excited to learn that Russian flags were displayed by a number of protesters in Kano in northwestern Nigeria during today’s Enough Is Enough protest to #EndBadGovernace.”
A social media user, Kawu Garba, called on the Department of State Services to investigate the incident.
The Force spokesperson, Muyiwa Adejobi, said he was not aware of the images.
Analysing the presence of the Russian flag, a retired Brig.-Gen., Bashir Adewinbi, cautioned Nigerians against conspiring with external forces to undermine the country’s democracy and security.
Adewinbi, described the situation as unfortunate.
He said, “It is unfortunate that some Nigerians are waving foreign flags in a national protest. Our people should be careful; they should not create room for anybody to destroy our country.
“I must say that a coup can never happen in Nigeria. There can be no coup attempt against President Bola Tinubu. The security chiefs are with him and he has educated them.
” I don’t think any senior officer will come out and announce anything like a coup in Nigeria. We are all united, we are for the unity of the people, and we will maintain it. We will protect our democracy.”
A former Nigerian ambassador to the Philippines, Yemi Farounbi, called on the organisers of the protest to avoid any external influence.
Farounbi said, “It is an unfortunate incident to fly the flag of a foreign country during your protest. When you recall that there is Russian presence in Niger, Mali, Burkina Faso, and Congo, one begins to wonder that you may be having an externalisation or an external indication of an internal domestic protest against certain circumstances.
“It is tragic, and I do not think that is what the organisers wanted. Certainly, that is not what Nigerians want. They do not want Nigeria to become impacted by ideological warfare between the West and the East. They do not want to see a replacement of Russia-backed military action in Nigeria.
“It is unfortunate. Perhaps, it is a reason for the patriotic organisers of the protest to stop the demonstration before it becomes something that some people will take over from them or turn Nigeria to a pawn.
“Those who are supported by this Russian regime have broken away from ECOWAS to form a separate body. It is something that other West African countries should be wary of.”
A retired Director at the Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Adesola Abolurin, called for the intervention of the Economic Community of West Africa States.
He attributed the call for Russian intervention in Northern Nigeria to the closeness of Niger Republic to the region.
Abolurin said, “This should not be unexpected given the volatile situation of that region, particularly since they are nearer to Niger Republic, so that is expected and, the organisers of the protest should have known that the protest will be hijacked by foreign agencies; where do they get the Russian flags from? They must have gotten them from across the border and one will expect that people will infiltrate our border from Niger and Somali and that is exactly what has happened now.
“The Russian flags must have come directly from the border. And the earlier the ECOWAS intervene in the crisis in the region, particularly in Niger Republic and Mali, the earlier they approach them, appeal to them to come back to the fold, the better.
“Already in Kano they have the issue of Emirship and this should have put into consideration by security agencies, but unfortunately, that was never done.
They have a lot of problems already in the North, every little destruction in the North will escalate from the other side”.
A former Director-General of the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs, Professor Bola Akinterinwa, suggested that those waving the Russian flag and dancing during the protests might not be Nigerians.
“The people flying Russian flags and dancing during the protest may not be Nigerians but Nigeriens,” Akinterinwa said.
He emphasised that the protest, initially planned for August 1 to 10, could shift towards a more aggressive demand for President Tinubu’s resignation due to accusations of bad governance.
The former NIIA DG warned, “The situation we have now could prompt a coup d’état.”
On his part, a former Director of DSS, Mike Ejiofor, said the government and security agencies must not handle the issue with kid gloves.
“In the security circle, you don’t dismiss such negative display. You will recall that the DSS had an intelligence report that there was a foreign influence in what is going on and that what the protesters are trying to achieve is a regime change. Russia has no business in interfering in Nigeria’s internal affairs.
“We have to intensify our intelligence gathering efforts both the national intelligence agency and the state security service must look at these threats even though they had highlighted them earlier. Citizens must also be security conscious of whatever that is happening around them”, Ejiofor said.
Col. Abdulwahab Ademola Lawal, the Head of Research Savannah Centre for Development and Training said, “The main issue is about regime security and the Russians do not mind having military coup detat and military government in this State, but the US and the Western power are concerned about democracy.
But Russia has denied involvement. The Press Secretary of the Russian Embassy, Yury Paramonov, denied Russia’s involvement in the ongoing protests.
He said, “The Russian Embassy in Nigeria does not have any information about any groups of protesters using the Russian flag or other state symbols of our country.
We have not seen such photo or video materials .
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.”
@ inspired by punch report
