The Russian Embassy in Nigeria has refuted reports that Nigerian students in Russia are being forced to join the military to support Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
The embassy stated, “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.”
The embassy added, “Nigerian students face no difficulties in extending their visas.”
The Nigerian government also denied the reports, thanking the embassy for “debunking the fake news aimed at undermining the friendship and cooperation between Russia and Nigeria.”
Earlier, a Bloomberg report alleged that Russia was coercing African students, including Nigerians, to fight in Ukraine in exchange for visa renewals.
The report quoted a European official as saying, “Some Africans in Russia on work visas have been detained and forced to decide between deportation or fighting.”
However, the Russian Embassy dismissed the reports as “fake news” and “false.”
