By| Goodluck E.Adubazi, Abuja
ActionAid Nigeria has called on the Federal Government to urgently investigate the alleged recruitment and exploitation of young African women, including Nigerians, under Russia’s Alabuga Start Programme, warning that the scheme bears the hallmarks of modern slavery and unsafe migration.
The organisation said it was deeply disturbed by reports that young women were lured to Russia with promises of education, professional training and lucrative employment, only to allegedly end up in unsafe working conditions and involved in the production of military drones.
ActionAid also expressed concern over reports linking a senior recruiter associated with the programme, Konstantin Trifonov, to Telegram channels allegedly promoting child sexual abuse materials.
While stressing that the allegations must be independently verified, the organisation said their gravity demands immediate investigation by Nigerian authorities and relevant international agencies.
Country Director of ActionAid Nigeria, Dr. Andrew Mamedu, said deceptive recruitment thrives because of widespread poverty, unemployment and limited economic opportunities confronting many young Nigerians.
“Poverty, unemployment and limited economic opportunities create conditions in which deceptive recruiters can prey upon the hopes of young Nigerians seeking a better future. The responsibility must never be placed on victims.
Those who deceive, traffic or exploit vulnerable people must be investigated and held accountable,” Mamedu said.
According to ActionAid, experiences gathered through its Reintegration and Empowerment for Connecting and Nurturing Opportunities of Vulnerable Populations and Returning Migrants (RECONNECT) Project reveal that survivors of trafficking and unsafe migration often return home with severe psychological trauma, financial burdens and social stigma, while lacking adequate healthcare, psychosocial support and access to justice.
The organisation cited data from the International Organization for Migration (IOM), which shows that 14,787 Nigerians returned home safely through its programmes in 2025, while another 7,825 had been assisted by June 2026. Since 2017, over 65,700 Nigerians have returned home safely, with more than 52,200 receiving reintegration support.
ActionAid said the reported Alabuga recruitment should also be viewed within the context of Nigeria’s growing “Japa” phenomenon, where increasing numbers of young people seek better opportunities abroad due to economic hardship and insecurity.
It stressed that while migration remains a legitimate choice, inadequate regulation of foreign recruitment schemes leaves many Nigerians vulnerable to trafficking, forced labour and exploitation.
The organisation further referenced World Bank estimates indicating that 63 per cent of Nigerians were living below the national poverty line in 2025 after an additional seven million people slipped into poverty, arguing that creating decent jobs and strengthening social protection remain critical measures against human trafficking and unsafe migration.
ActionAid urged the Federal Government, particularly the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment, the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) and the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM), to investigate recruitment activities linked to the Alabuga Start Programme in Nigeria.
It also called on the authorities to identify Nigerians participating in the programme, assess their safety and provide consular assistance, legal support, psychosocial care and voluntary repatriation where necessary.
In addition, the organisation advocated tighter regulation of foreign employment schemes, recruitment agencies, travel facilitators and online advertisements targeting young Nigerians.
Beyond Nigeria, ActionAid appealed to the ECOWAS Commission, the African Union, the European Union, INTERPOL, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), as well as Russian authorities, to launch a coordinated and independent investigation into the reported recruitment practices and the alleged child sexual abuse links.
The organisation said such cooperation should focus on preserving digital evidence, protecting potential victims and ensuring that any individual or organisation found culpable is held accountable under the law.
Reaffirming its commitment to victims of trafficking and exploitation, ActionAid Nigeria pledged continued support for survivors and called for a survivor-centred approach that safeguards victims’ identities, eliminates stigma and guarantees access to justice, recovery and sustainable reintegration.
