In Warsaw, Poland, seven Polish citizens, including six students and a lecturer from Warsaw University, who were detained in Nigeria during political protests, have been released and are in good health. They are expected to return home this week. The group had been in northern Nigeria participating in a program to study the Hausa language when they were detained in Kano during a political demonstration for allegedly carrying Russian flags, as claimed by Nigeria’s secret service.

The Polish foreign ministry confirmed that the seven individuals have had their passports, laptops, and personal belongings returned to them. They are currently staying at the university campus in Kano, awaiting their trip back to Poland. Polish officials have stated that the situation was a misunderstanding and doubted the claims of carrying Russian flags, especially given Poland’s strained relations with Russia due to historical reasons.

Pawel Wronski, the ministry’s spokesman, emphasized that the students and lecturer happened to be in an unfortunate situation and reminded travelers to exercise caution when traveling to unfamiliar places. The ministry regularly provides travel warnings and advice on its website, cautioning about the complicated political situation in Nigeria, particularly in the state of Kano.

Poland, being a country with anti-Russian sentiments due to historical conflicts, stands in support of Ukraine against Russian aggression. In Nigeria, the recent protests have seen thousands, mostly young people, expressing discontent over the high cost of living and alleged poor governance that has hindered development in the oil-rich nation. The waving of Russian flags during the protests has raised eyebrows, as it is a rare sight in Central Europe and more common in African countries where pro-Russian sentiments are emerging following military coups cutting ties with Western nations.