Reported by: Oahimire Omone Precious | Edited by: Gabriel Osa
Lagos / Abuja — A Nigerian man, 36‑year‑old mechanic Bankole Manchi, says he expected a legitimate overseas job but instead found himself forcibly drawn into military training and combat amid Russia’s ongoing war in Ukraine, underscoring growing allegations that vulnerable Africans are being lured into the conflict through deceptive recruitment networks.
Manchi, who left Lagos after being offered what he believed was a well‑paid civilian position in Russia, recounted that upon arrival he was handed over to unidentified men and taken to a military‑style camp instead of a workplace. There, he met recruits from across the world — including fellow Nigerians, Ghanaians, French, Brazilians and Chinese nationals — many struggling with language barriers and reliant on translation apps.
According to Manchi, initial training quickly escalated from basic drills to intense weapons handling, grenade practice and night operations. He reported that even injured recruits were forced to continue despite severe pain. After being moved under cover of night into Ukrainian territory, he was shot in the leg during heavy fighting, surviving several days with minimal food and water before finally receiving medical care. Manchi says African recruits were treated as “disposable fighters” in a war they never agreed to join.
Manchi’s account aligns with numerous similar testimonies from other African nationals, including citizens of Uganda and Kenya. One Ugandan man described being promised civilian work in supermarkets, airports, and private security firms in Russia, only to be held under armed guard in poor conditions before escaping and surrendering to Ukrainian forces, who later confirmed his identity.
Human rights researchers and advocates have since highlighted what appears to be an organised recruitment and trafficking network targeting young Africans with false job offers. Researcher Sholla Ard alleges that companies such as ST3 Metal LLC have issued short‑term employment letters used to secure visas for recruits, who are then coerced into military service. Some of the documentation suggests travel routes passing through Juba (South Sudan), Nairobi (Kenya) and Turkey, adding complexity to efforts to trace and dismantle these networks.
The alleged tactics used against these recruits are seen against the backdrop of broader concerns over foreign fighters in the Russia–Ukraine conflict. Ukrainian officials have warned that Moscow has recruited and deployed more than 1,400 Africans from over three dozen countries, often through misleading or coercive means. These foreign nationals, they say, may be sent straight into heavy fighting with limited understanding of their agreements or rights.
Older reports and investigations have also revealed related scenarios in the region. In 2025, Kenyan authorities confirmed that more than 200 of their citizens had been drawn into the war under false pretences, some believing they were signing up for civilian support roles before finding themselves on the frontlines. Another group of 17 South African men were reported to be trapped in Ukraine’s Donbas region after allegedly being misled into joining mercenary forces allegedly linked to recruitment networks. Their government has since launched investigations and is seeking ways to secure their safe return.
Experts studying the phenomenon say the Russian military’s heavy losses since the invasion began have created incentives to recruit foreign manpower, especially in regions where unemployment and economic hardship leave young people vulnerable to offers of work abroad. Recruitment pitches often cite lucrative salaries, job guarantees and fast‑tracked citizenship, but critics argue many recruits are unwilling participants pushed into combat roles they never fully understood or consented to.
Human rights groups and African governments are now calling for urgent investigations into such recruitment schemes by both national authorities and international organisations, including the United Nations. They emphasise that the exploitation of job seekers amounts to human trafficking and forced recruitment into a conflict where civilians have no legal obligation or informed consent to fight.
At the same time, neither the Russian government nor the companies accused of issuing fraudulent job offers have publicly acknowledged or responded to the allegations, leaving many questions about accountability and how these recruitment networks operate.
For families and communities in Nigeria and across Africa, the unfolding reports have triggered deep concern. Loved ones of missing recruits are demanding clearer answers, while others warn prospective migrants to exercise extreme caution when confronted with overseas job offers that seem too good to be true.
As diplomatic and legal processes unfold, rights advocates stress that cooperation between African governments, international law enforcement, and global human rights bodies is essential to protect citizens from deceptive recruitment and to ensure that those already affected can be safely returned home.
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