Student exchange programmes operate under their own set of rules. While some dismiss the Erasmus programme as merely an opportunity for partying, drug use, and casual relationships, proponents argue that such exchanges are primarily a chance to experience different education systems and build valuable social networks.

However, participants must be mindful of the risks associated with living in another country and the necessity of adhering to its laws—a lesson recently learned by a group of Polish students.

On 6 August 2024, Nigerian police detained seven Polish nationals, identified as students from the University of Warsaw. The students reportedly participated in anti-government protests in the city of Kano, where citizens have been demonstrating against President Bola Tinubu's economic reforms since early August. These protests have sometimes turned violent, with Amnesty International reporting fatalities in several cities.

Peter Afunanya, spokesman for the Nigerian State Security Service, informed the press that the Polish students were arrested for waving Russian flags, a claim corroborated by Reuters. The gesture was allegedly intended to draw attention to Russia's growing influence in African countries, which has been met with increasing local discontent.

However, other reports suggest that the students were detained for taking photographs with their phones or violating a local curfew by leaving their hotel. The Polish consul in Nigeria, Stanislaw Gulinski, confirmed the students' arrest but stated that they were being held in a hotel rather than a detention facility. Nigeria's Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa, reportedly described the act of waving a foreign flag as a "treasonable offence."

The situation involving the detained Polish students in Nigeria has raised significant concern among both their families and the Polish government. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has issued a formal statement addressing the matter.

The statement reads: "The Ministry of Foreign Affairs informs that, regarding the detention of a group of Polish students and a lecturer in the city of Kano in northern Nigeria, the consular service is working closely with local authorities to ascertain the exact circumstances of the incident. The consul on-site is actively engaging with the Nigerian authorities to resolve the case. Both the consul and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs are maintaining regular contact with the families of the students and the university. The Chargé d'affaires of the Nigerian Embassy in Warsaw has been summoned to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to collaborate on securing the release of the Polish students and clarifying the situation."

Source: Reuters