Nigeria Denies Reports of Nigerian Students Being Conscripted by Russia for Visa Renewal.
By Caroline Ameh
The Nigerian Ministry of Foreign Affairs has refuted claims circulating in several Nigerian media outlets suggesting that the Russian government is coercing Nigerian and other African students into participating in the conflict with Ukraine under the guise of visa renewal promises.
In a statement released on Tuesday, June 11, 2024, Ambassador Eche Abu-Obe, spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, emphasized that there has been no evidence or reports of Nigerian students, or students from other African countries, being conscripted to fight in the war.
The Ministry highlighted that the Nigerian Embassy in Moscow maintains close communication with the executives of the Nigerian Students Association in Russia, and there have been no documented cases of conscription or coercion.
The statement condemned the dissemination of false and misleading information by certain media outlets and urged journalists to exercise due diligence in verifying information before publication.
