The Russian Embassy in Nigeria has refuted recent claims that Nigerian students are being forced to join Russian troops in the ongoing war in Ukraine in exchange for visa renewal. The allegations, made in a report by Bloomberg, have been labeled as fake news by the embassy.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, June 12, 2024, the embassy expressed its disappointment with the report, stating that it aims to undermine the friendship and cooperation between Russia and Nigeria. The embassy emphasized that Nigerian students in Russia face no difficulties in extending their visas and that no student has confirmed of an Ukrainian War allegations made in the report.
The embassy further highlighted that numerous associations of Nigerian students in Russia have not reported any issues in obtaining the necessary documentation to continue their studies in the country. It welcomed the official press release from the Nigerian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and expressed gratitude to the ministry and the Association of Nigerian Students in Moscow for their efforts in debunking the fake news.
The Nigerian government has also dismissed the allegations as false and misleading. In a statement on Tuesday, June 11, 2024, the spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Eche Abu-Obe, confirmed that there have been no reported cases of Nigerian or other African students being enlisted to join the war. The ministry urged media outlets to exercise due diligence by verifying information before releasing it to the public.
Both the Russian Embassy and the Nigerian government have strongly denied the allegations, emphasizing the importance of maintaining accurate and responsible reporting.
