Sowore: Flying the Russian flag isn’t a crime; Christians and others show solidarity by waving Israeli and Palestinian flags

Former presidential candidate of the African Action Congress, AAC, Omoyele Sowore, has said there is no crime in flying Russian flags during protests.

Sowore insisted that it is not a treasonable offence.

According to him, Christian leaders fly Israeli flags in churches, while a lot of people fly Palestinian flags in solidarity with the Palestinian struggle.

The statement comes on the heels of President Bola Tinubu’s directive to security agencies to crack down on those flying Russian flags in the country.

Gen Christopher Musa, the Chief of Defence Staff, made this known on Monday while briefing State House correspondents after the National Security Council meeting.

“We are warning in clear terms, and the president has also said we should convey this: We will not accept anybody, any individual flying any foreign flag in Nigeria.

“That is a treasonable offence, and it will be viewed and treated as such. So, nobody should allow himself to be used by any individual,” he said.

However, in a post on his X handle on Tuesday, Sowore described the position of the military as diversionary, saying it’s to make Nigerians forget the reason for the protest.

He said: “There is no crime flying Russian flags during protests, it is not TREASON. Christian leaders fly Israeli flags in churches, and lots of people fly Palestinian flags in solidarity with the Palestinian struggle.

“This is completely diversionary so that Nigerians would forget the reason there is an #EndBadGovernancelnNigeria revolt against the @officialABAT regime.

“You’re all acting like you care about the Nigerian flag, if so why did you ask the same @HQNigerianArmy to murder young Nigerians waving flags and singing national anthem during the #EndSARS uprising in 2020? Bunch of liars! #RevolutionNow.”