Omoyele Sowore, former presidential candidate for the African Action Congress (AAC), has asserted that displaying Russian flags during protests does not constitute a criminal offense.

Sowore emphasized that such an act is not treasonable, countering recent statements by President Bola Tinubu and the Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Christopher Musa, who have warned against flying foreign flags, particularly Russian ones.

Sowore pointed out that Christian leaders often display Israeli flags in churches, and many individuals fly Palestinian flags in support of the Palestinian cause, without facing legal consequences.

He criticized the government’s focus on flag display as a diversionary tactic meant to distract from the core issues driving the ongoing #EndBadGovernance protests.

In his comments posted on X, Sowore accused the military and government officials of attempting to shift attention away from the reasons behind the protests.

He argued that the crackdown on foreign flags is an attempt to overshadow the legitimate grievances expressed by Nigerians.

Sowore recalled the 2020 #EndSARS protests, questioning the government’s commitment to national symbols after military forces were allegedly involved in violence against protesters who displayed flags and sang the national anthem.

Sowore’s remarks challenge the government’s stance and argue that the real issue is the widespread discontent with current governance, rather than the symbolism of foreign flags.