FACT CHECK!!! Is Russia Sending Nigerian Students To War In Exchange For Visa Renewal?

FACT CHECK!!! Is Russia Sending Nigerian Students To War In Exchange For Visa Renewal?—-The federal government of Nigeria has denied reports that Nigerian students are being sent to the war front forcefully by Russia in exchange for visa renewal.

A statement by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, issued by its spokesperson, Amb. Eche Abu-Obe, debunked reports that Nigerian students were being sent to the war front in Ukraine in exchange for visa renewals.

The statement explained that the Nigerian embassy in Moscow is in close communication with the executives of the Nigerian Students’ Association in Moscow, and no reported case of recruitment of Nigerian students or other African students to fight in the war as mentioned earlier.

The statement therefore urges the public to disregard such misinformation and appeals to media outfits to exercise due diligence and verify information before releasing it to the public.

TGM reports the clarification comes in response to earlier reports which claimed that foreign students and thousands of migrants in Russia are reportedly being sent by the government to fight in the war against Ukraine for visa renewal.

According to a report by Bloomberg, Russia has been threatening not to renew the visas of African students and young workers unless they agree to join the military.

According to reports citing Ukrainian intelligence, Russia has engaged in a global recruitment drive to enlist foreign mercenaries in at least 21 countries, including several nations in Africa.