The Russian Embassy in Abuja has denied allegations of recruiting Nigerian citizens to participate in Russia’s military operations in Ukraine, following recent reports published by The Guardian Nigeria on February 18.
In a statement responding to the reports, the Embassy said it had taken note of articles concerning alleged fraudulent recruitment of Nigerians and claims by a group identified as “Professionals for Peace,” which purportedly addressed an appeal to the mission.
The Embassy reiterated that the Russian Federation does not operate any official or state-sponsored programme aimed at recruiting Nigerian nationals for its special military operation in Ukraine. It further stated that it had no information regarding the existence of fraudulent schemes or criminal networks luring Nigerians into combat roles.
According to the statement, some of the individuals mentioned in the media reports reportedly travelled to Russia on tourist visas with the intention of seeking employment, including as an engineer and a security guard. The Embassy noted that entering Russia on a tourist visa for employment purposes constitutes a violation of Russian immigration laws, which strictly prohibit such activities.
The mission urged Nigerian authorities to focus on identifying and prosecuting intermediaries within Nigeria who may be deceiving citizens with false promises of employment abroad. It also clarified that it did not issue visas to the individuals named in the reports, Balogun Adisa Ridwan and Abubakar Adamu.
The Embassy added that matters concerning the protection of Nigerian citizens residing in Russia fall under the jurisdiction of the Embassy of Nigeria in Moscow. It advised that any concerns relating to fraudulent recruitment schemes or illegal employment offers allegedly taking place in Nigeria should be referred to the appropriate Nigerian law enforcement agencies.
