DSS grills seven Polish nationals arrested in Kano

As the #EndBadGovernance protests enter its eighth day, the Federal Government has said it will not tolerate interference by any foreign power supporting the protesters.

The government specifically stated that it would take appropriate action against any foreign entity residing in Nigeria found to have directly or indirectly supported the protesters. The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Maitama Tuggar, stated this while briefing the Diplomatic Corps in Abuja.

This is coming after the Department of State Service (DSS), yesterday announced that it is currently investigating seven Polish nationals arrested in connection with the violent protests in Kano State.

Government’s warning came amid the raising of Russian flags in Kano, Kaduna and Abuja, following the commencement of the protests on August 1, 2024.

Tuggar said President Bola Tinubu led the campaign against military dictatorship in the 1990s and believes in Nigeria’s democracy, and that freedom of assembly, freedom of expression, and the right to dissent are fundamental.

However, Tuggar said Nigeria is a country under the rule of law and no one can tolerate the thuggish behaviour of fringe elements and those who stand behind them.

He also said that while the government continues to work hard through various reform programmes and measures to address the challenges facing Nigeria and Nigerians, it is pertinent to remind the Diplomatic Corps that no nation tolerates foreign interference in its domestic affairs and that of its citizens.

Spokesperson of the DSS, Peter Afunanya, explained that the seven Polish nationals picked up are being investigated, further assuring that their arrest was not a targeted attempt on Polish nationals.