The Russian Government has said it is keeping a close watch on developments in Nigeria following a recent statement by United States President Donald Trump hinting at possible American military action in the country.

At a press briefing in Moscow on Friday, Foreign Ministry spokeswoman, Maria Zakharova, said Russia was monitoring the situation and urged all sides to avoid actions that violate global norms.

“We are closely monitoring this issue and call on all parties involved to strictly comply with international legal norms,” Zakharova said in response to a question from Anadolu News Agency.

Naija News reports that Zakharova’s comments come one week after Trump announced that he had instructed the Pentagon to draw up “options for possible military measures” against terrorist groups operating in Nigeria, claiming the move was intended to protect Christian communities.

In his November 1 post on Truth Social, Trump claimed that Christianity in Nigeria faced an “existential threat,” alleging that “thousands of Christians are being killed.”

“Radical Islamists are responsible for this mass slaughter. I am hereby designating Nigeria a ‘Country of Particular Concern,’” the U.S. President wrote.

Trump added that the United States “cannot stand by while such atrocities are happening,” insisting that his administration would be “ready, willing, and able to protect our great Christian population around the world.”

He also directed members of Congress, including Congressman Barry Moore, House Appropriations Committee Chairman Tom Cole and other Republican allies—to investigate the situation in Nigeria and report back to him.

Naija News reports that the Federal Government had swiftly dismissed Trump’s statements, stressing that Nigeria remains committed to protecting the rights and freedoms of all religious groups.

President Bola Tinubu insisted that Nigeria does not discriminate against any faith and rejected the CPC designation as misleading and politically motivated.

Officials noted that insecurity in the country affects citizens of all religions, and accused foreign commentators of pushing narratives that do not reflect the complex realities on the ground.

Russia’s statement is the latest in a string of global reactions following Trump’s controversial comments and reports that U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM) was reviewing contingency plans in line with the directive.

Zakharova urged Washington and its allies to act with “responsibility” and strictly within the boundaries of international law, warning that erratic foreign interventions often worsen tensions rather than resolve them.

The Ogun State command of the Nigeria Police Force has dismantled a notorious Cameroonian syndicate accused of kidnapping unsuspecting victims under the guise of processing international visas.

Command spokesperson, Omolola Odutola, said on Friday (today) that operatives of the anti-kidnapping unit arrested two members of the gang during a sting operation at their hideout in Mowe, along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway.

She added that the gang leader is currently on the run.

According to Odutola, the crackdown followed a distress call from a Cameroonian woman, Kengne Maeva, who said she was deceived into travelling to Nigeria on September 29, 2025, by a man identified simply as Donald.

Investigations revealed that Donald had promised to facilitate a Canadian visa for Maeva. Instead, she and her 23-year-old sister were held hostage in a two-bedroom apartment in the Pakuro area of Ogun State.

“Shortly after she arrived at Murtala Mohammed Airport, Lagos, she was received by the supposed ‘agency’ which provided transportation from Lagos to Mowe, Ogun State, where she and her younger sister were held hostage,” Odutola stated.

Maeva reportedly escaped from captivity on November 3 and immediately alerted the police, revealing that several other victims were also being detained.

Naija News understands that her escape prompted a swift police operation that led to the arrest of two suspects identified as Ndzana Kamga Isidore and Tingue Stephen.

According to the police, families of the kidnapped victims in Cameroon had already paid 3.6 million CFA francs into the bank account of the fleeing gang leader.

Odutola said the Commissioner of Police, Lanre Ogunlowo, has ordered heightened intelligence and surveillance across the state to dismantle similar criminal networks.

She quoted him as directing tactical commanders to work closely with community leaders, especially in remote areas, to immediately report suspicious foreign nationals renting apartments or running unregistered “visa agencies”.

The command assured residents that efforts are underway to apprehend the fleeing ringleader and rescue any remaining victims.

The United States Department of State has revoked the visas of more than 80,000 individuals, including Nigerians and nationals of several other countries, as part of a wide-ranging immigration enforcement drive under President Donald Trump’s administration.

The development, announced in a statement on Thursday, was described by the State Department as a fulfilment of Trump’s pledge to tighten America’s borders and prioritize national security.

The department tagged the move “promises made, promises kept,” stressing that the revocations were consistent with the administration’s national security strategy.

According to official data from 2024, the bulk of the revocations were tied to three major offenses: assault, theft and driving under the influence (DUI).

The breakdown shows:

16,000 visas revoked for DUI

12,000 for assault

8,000 for theft

The department added that other grounds included terrorism-related links, extremist activity, public safety risks, and violations of visa conditions.

According to Vanguard, a senior State Department official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the three leading offences accounted for nearly half of all visa cancellations recorded this year.

The measure forms part of a sweeping immigration overhaul launched during Trump’s tenure, which tightened visa screening protocols and expanded vetting measures.

Under the program, U.S. consular officers began conducting extensive background checks on applicants’ social media histories, political affiliations and online behavior.

The crackdown also coincided with a rise in deportations and stricter enforcement of overstays and visa violations.

In August, the department confirmed that more than 6,000 student visas were cancelled for various infractions, including overstaying, academic fraud, and legal violations.

Officials noted that a small number of those cases involved terrorism-related concerns.

The government also revoked visas belonging to at least six individuals over social media posts referencing the assassination of conservative commentator Charlie Kirk.

U.S. Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, disclosed in May that hundreds, possibly thousands, of visas had been revoked for actions deemed hostile to American foreign policy interests.

Rubio said diplomats worldwide had been directed to scrutinize applicants for signs of anti-American sentiment or political activism that might pose a threat to U.S. national objectives.

Officials further cautioned that green card and visa holders could face deportation for public expressions of support for Palestinians or criticism of Israel amid the escalating Gaza conflict, saying such statements could be interpreted as sympathy for Hamas.