On Monday, protesters in Kaduna ignored President Bola Tinubu’s order to clear the streets amidst his failed speech rejecting their demands, continuing their demonstration while waving Russian flags.
Demonstrators blocked major roads in the state while waving Russian national flags.
This protest is part of a larger wave of demonstrations across northern Nigeria, including Plateau State and Kano, where protesters also waved Russian flags over the weekend. The presence of these flags suggests a call for external intervention in Nigeria’s internal affairs.
An inscription on a Russian flag seen in Plateau State on Sunday read, “We are Nigerians, Russia help us.”
Despite a heavy security presence, protesters occupied major roads in Kaduna on Monday. They ignored warnings from both the president and the state government that their grievances would be addressed.
An X user, Imran Wakili, reported that protesters set up a bonfire near a petrol station at Bakin Ruwa Junction. “They lit tyres on fire beside the NNPC (Shema) filling station in Bakin Ruwa junction Kaduna, waving Russia’s flag,” Mr. Wakili stated, attaching a video of the scene.
Another X user, @ThegreatKhaleyd, confirmed the presence of Russian flags at the Kawo protest center in Kaduna. He noted that some protesters were holding leaves while others waved Russian flags.
Abdul-Aziz Na-ibi Abubakar, another X user, shared a video of the Kaduna protests, commenting, “Kaduna Protest Today is indeed electric.”
THE WHISTLER observed that the Kaduna-Zaria expressway was also blocked by protesters, further intensifying the demonstration and disrupting local traffic.
