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The governments of Russia and Nigeria have debunked reports that Russia was coercing foreign students including Nigerians to fight for her in the ongoing war with Ukraine.
A statement issued by a Russian official who preferred anonymity on Wednesday, dismissed allegations that Russia was conscripting Nigerian and African students to fight in the war against Ukraine.
The official described the claims as “preposterous” and “ridiculous”.
The report suggested that Russia was threatening to withhold visa renewals from foreign students, including Nigerians, unless they joined its military.
The official noted that the education of Nigerian students in Russia is based on a bilateral agreement between the two countries. She further clarified that Russia does not send foreign students to Ukraine or anywhere else, and that the lists of all students are agreed upon by the governments of Russia and Nigeria.
She also emphasised that students’ visas are extended based on their academic performance, and that those who study poorly are expelled and sent back to Nigeria.
Yevgeny Primakov, head of Rossotrudnichestvo, revealed that about 6,500 students from Africa study in Russia for free every year, with 35,000-37,000 African students currently in Russia.
In a similar development, spokesman of Nigeria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Eche Abu-Obe, in a statement said: “The newspaper reports are, therefore, false and misleading and should therefore be disregarded.”
The Ministry advised journalists to always verify their stories before going public to avert these rising cases of fake news.