#ENDBADGOVERNANCE: LAVROV DENIES RUSSIA BACKED NIGERIAN PROTESTERS

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Agency Report

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has denied allegations that Moscow sponsored Nigerian youths who waved Russian flags during the 2024 #EndBadGovernance protests.

Lavrov made the clarification in Moscow on the sidelines of the Third Russia-Africa Summit, while responding to a question from the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).

He said Russia had no involvement in the action and rejected suggestions that the country supported any attempt to undermine Nigeria’s sovereignty.

According to the Russian foreign minister, Moscow and Abuja maintain strong bilateral relations dating back to the Soviet era.

Lavrov stressed that individuals who displayed Russian flags during the protests did so in their personal capacity, adding that their actions should not be interpreted as official support from the Russian government.

“Anyone who donned the Russian flag did so in his or her personal capacity. It does not mean that Russia was in support of this kind of action.

“A lot of citizens sympathetic to Palestinians wave Palestinian flags to express solidarity. It does not mean the Palestinian government is behind them,” he said.

The nationwide #EndBadGovernance protests took place from August 1 to 10, 2024, as demonstrators protested against rising living costs and economic hardship.

During the demonstrations, groups of protesters, including youths and minors in Kano, Kaduna, Zamfara and Abuja, were seen waving Russian flags and chanting slogans calling for military intervention.

The Federal Government condemned the action, describing it as treasonable and a threat to Nigeria’s sovereignty. The incident led to the arrest of several protesters and some tailors suspected of producing the flags.

The Russian Embassy in Abuja also denied any involvement at the time.

Lavrov further highlighted the growing relationship between both countries, noting that the number of scholarships awarded to Nigerian students had increased, reaching 220 in 2026.

He recalled meeting his Nigerian counterpart in Abuja in 2024, saying the engagement helped strengthen bilateral relations.

On Russia’s defence agreements with some countries in the Sahel, Lavrov said Moscow was assisting regional governments in addressing security threats.

He also alleged that some Western countries were using Ukrainian mercenaries to undermine those efforts, as he claimed had happened in Libya, warning that such actions could threaten regional stability.

Commenting on a recent diesel supply agreement with the United States, Lavrov described it as a commercial arrangement that would not undermine Russia’s relationships with its allies.

“The diesel agreement with the U.S. is purely a business decision by two world leaders who are concerned by the rising cost of energy,” he said.