On Saturday, the #EndBadGovernance protest entered its third day in parts of Nigeria. In Kano, a group of protesters were seen waving the Russian flag and calling for President Vladimir Putin's intervention in the country.

This is not the first time Russia has played a role in Nigerian affairs. During the Civil War, the then USSR was a key player, providing arms to the federal government.

Prior to the start of the #EndHunger protest, the Department of State Services (DSS) disclosed that foreign influences were behind the unrest, suggesting that the protesters aimed to achieve a regime change.

Experts are concerned about this new trend, which indicates an attempt to destabilize Nigeria, possibly driven by Russian interests. The recent developments in the Sahel region highlight the growing Russian influence in Africa. Russia is already present in Sudan, Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso, as well as the Central African Republic. This expanding influence makes the recent events in Kano less surprising.

In 2019, the West ranked Sub-Saharan Africa low among Russia's strategic priorities. Despite this, Russia's actions in the region have been described as "opportunistic moves that are unlikely to yield significant results." However, the emergence of the Wagner Group in Congo and regime changes in Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger, all of which withdrew from ECOWAS under the leadership of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, have proven otherwise.

An Eastern power, Russia, has been implicated in the coup d'états in several West African countries.

Currently, anti-American sentiment is prevalent in many African countries. Those that have withdrawn from ECOWAS are also anti-France and are seeking alternative security structures, posing potential threats to the sovereignty of Africa.

According to a foreign relations expert I spoke with, the display of Russian flags in Kano might provide 'credible leadership' for the protests and an impetus for them to continue until regime change is achieved, as indicated by the DSS in its recent intelligence report. The expert expressed concern that the protests have not abated and that future demonstrations could be spontaneous with the potential for lethal escalation.

In a swift response, Russia has denied involvement in the protests. Yury Paramonov, Press Secretary of the Russian Embassy in Nigeria, stated, "The Russian Embassy in Nigeria does not have any information about any groups of protesters using the Russian flag or other state symbols of our country. Even if such incidents did occur, it would be the decision of individuals. We do not know why they might have used Russian flags. The Russian Federation is in no way involved in the current events in Nigeria. Moreover, Russia does not provide any material or financial support to the protesters," Paramonov emphasized.