Russia Denies Recruiting Nigerian Students for Ukraine War in Return for Visa Extensions
The Russian Embassy in Nigeria has categorically denied reports suggesting that Nigerian students are being coerced into joining the Russian military to fight in the Ukraine war in exchange for visa renewals.
An article published by Bloomberg, an American-based international media outlet, alleged that Russia is refusing to extend the visas of African students and young professionals unless they agree to enlist in its military efforts against Ukraine.
In response, the Russian Embassy issued a statement on Wednesday, June 12, 2024, dismissing the report as unfounded and characterizing it as “fake news.”
The embassy claimed that such misinformation is intended to disrupt the amicable relations and collaborative efforts between Russia and Nigeria.
According to the embassy’s statement, Nigerian students currently studying in Russia face no issues with visa extensions. They emphasized that no student has come forward to validate the claims made in the report. The statement read:
“The Embassy of the Russian Federation is compelled to emphasize that such news is not only false but also damages Russian-Nigerian educational cooperation by misleading numerous scholarship and grant applicants, as well as their partners, who could be extremely concerned by such fakes.
The Embassy states that Nigerian students face no difficulties in extending their visas while continuing their studies in Russia.
Numerous associations of Nigerian students in Russia have not reported any issues in obtaining the necessary documentation to continue their stay in the country.”
The embassy further acknowledged the Nigerian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Association of Nigerian Students in Moscow for their prompt efforts in refuting the misleading claims.
The embassy expressed gratitude for their support in maintaining the integrity of the Russia-Nigeria partnership.
The Nigerian Federal Government also refuted the allegations, labeling them as “false and misleading.” On Tuesday, June 11, 2024, Ambassador Eche Abu-Obe, spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, stated that there have been no confirmed incidents of Nigerian or other African students being forced to join the war.
The Ministry urged media organizations to verify information before disseminating it to the public to prevent the spread of unverified and potentially damaging reports.
Russia Denies Recruiting Nigerian Students for Ukraine War in Return for Visa Extensions
