An Associate Professor and Director of Global Health and Infectious Diseases Control Institute, Nasarawa State University, Dr. A.I. Akyala, has called on the United Nations and nations of the world to raise their voices in condemning Russia’s alleged illegal human labour violations and trafficking by recruiting young women in Nigeria into weapons manufacturing roles.
A media report had recently alleged that in an attempt to intensify its fight against Ukraine, Russia had started recruiting young women in Nigeria into weapons manufacturing roles.
The report alleged that Russia sought these young women from Nigeria and various other African nations to work in harsh conditions at factories responsible for producing drones intended for use in Ukraine.
The recruitment campaigns, according to the report, predominantly leveraged social media, enticing women with misleading promises of lucrative careers, complimentary travel, educational opportunities, and the chance to forge new friendships.
Interested candidates only needed to pass a brief Russian language test and complete a computer programme to apply.
The women, largely aged between 18 and 22, were allegedly drawn to the Tatarstan region of Russia following persuasive social media advertisements, some of which were backed by governmental and media endorsements.
The report further alleged that women from Nigeria, as well as Kenya, Rwanda, Uganda, South Sudan, and Sierra Leone, were being enticed with ads that presented them with these ambitious work opportunities and a chance for a new life in Europe.
The promises were all a ruse, the report stated, noting that instead, the women were transported to work in drone factories in Russia’s Alabuga Special Economic Zone.
Akyala argued that Russia’s alleged action is a gross disregard for human rights and the ILO convention that should be condemned.
He advised that the world should unify behind the safeguarding of humans, adding that critical awareness should be raised.
The university don accused Russia of exploiting the tough economic times that various economies of the world are going through to lure and traffic young women.
“Using various disinformation platforms on social media and various websites, young women were invited to make applications for these lucrative offers. Those who took the risk and travelled to Russia many months later emerged and blew the whistle on Russia’s duplicity and the exploitation that they were subjected to while enrolled in this Alabuga Start International programme. Many young women are now speaking out about the shock they experienced when they were trained and put to work in the Alabuga Drone factory to assemble drones that were destined to be used in the Russia-Ukrainia conflict.
“Despite being a signatory to the 1930 Convention on Forced Labour, Russia is in full violation of International Labour law. Russia has, using duplicity lured and forced young African women into forced labour in its weapons and munitions factory in the Tatarstan region.
“Young women who have since escaped from this forced labour have described the horrendous and dangerous working conditions, they were subjected to in the Alabuga drone factory. Some of the gross violations they were subjected to included working in inhumane conditions, working for long hours, and handling dangerous chemicals without being provided with protective clothing to safeguard their health.
“The United Nations and nations of the world should raise their united voices in condemning Russia’s illegal human labour violations and trafficking.
“This gross disregard for human rights and the ILO convention should be particularly condemned and the world’s collective voice should unify behind the safeguarding of Human rights in this day and age.
“Critical awareness should be raised to the nations of the world that Russia is exploiting the tough economic times that various economies of the world are going through to lure and traffic young women,” he said.
Peter Uzoho
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