Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Gabriel Osa
Updated information from multiple credible sources indicates that Nigerian nationals have been killed after being recruited to fight on behalf of Russian forces in the ongoing war in Ukraine, amid broader patterns of foreign enlistment and deception targeting African job seekers.
An exclusive report published on February 5, 2026 by Daily Nigerian states that at least four Nigerians who travelled to Russia believing they were securing employment were later sent to fight and killed in Ukraine between December 2025 and January 2026. The deceased have been named in the report as Adam Anas, Akinlawon Tunde Quyuum, Abugu Stanley Onyeka, and Balogun Ridwan Adisa. A fifth individual, Abubakar Adamu, is reported to have survived. Details in the report indicate that the men were recruited under the guise of civilian “security jobs,” underwent training for several weeks, and were then deployed to the frontlines. Families of the deceased were reportedly not formally informed by Russian authorities; instead, reports of their deaths emerged from a WhatsApp group used by African mercenaries. The recruitment is said to have been facilitated by a Nigerian agent offering tourist visas and false promises of employment before deployment into combat. Sources described the information as coming from within mercenary networks rather than official channels.
Separately, another widely reported case confirmed by Nigerian media outlets involved a Nigerian man killed while fighting for Russian forces in Ukraine, with security analysts noting he voluntarily enlisted and was pronounced killed in action. This is consistent with growing confirmed evidence that African nationals from various countries, including Nigeria, are being drawn into the conflict on Russia’s side, sometimes through misleading recruitment.
International reporting from Reuters and Al Jazeera last year independently confirmed that more than 1,400 Africans from around 36 countries had been identified fighting with Russian ranks in Ukraine, underscoring the scale of foreign recruitment beyond any single national group. These figures were provided by Ukrainian authorities and reflect concern about the role foreign fighters are playing in the conflict.
Independent investigations by global media organisations, such as CNN, have documented recruitment tactics used by Russian intermediaries that target Africans with promises of civilian jobs, such as security work or transport positions, before coercing them into military contracts and deployment on the battlefield. Recruits described signing agreements in languages they did not understand and receiving minimal training before being sent to the front lines, often with sparse protections and limited information about the true nature of their assignment.
While the Nigerian government has not issued an official statement regarding these specific reported deaths, the broader phenomenon of Africans being recruited into combat for Russia has drawn warnings from several African governments and international organisations. Many families of foreign recruits have reported that they were not officially notified by Russian authorities about the deaths of their loved ones, and that information often surfaced via social media or informal communication channels involving other fighters.
This situation highlights persistent issues in international recruitment for conflict zones, especially when intermediaries promise lucrative opportunities but deliver combat deployment without adequate disclosure or consent. It has raised safety and legal concerns among human rights advocates and diplomatic missions, with calls for stronger protective measures for nationals abroad.
As it stands, the verified available information indicates that Nigerian citizens have been killed while fighting on behalf of Russian forces in Ukraine, and authorities — including families of the deceased — received news outside formal notification channels. These developments occur within the broader context of Russia’s continued efforts to bolster its military ranks through foreign recruits, including Africans, amid ongoing manpower pressures in the conflict.
📩 Stone Reporters News | 🌍 stonereportersnews.com
✉️ info@stonereportersnews.com | 📘 Facebook: Stone Reporters | 🐦 X (Twitter): @StoneReportNew | 📸 Instagram: @stonereportersnews
Add comment
Comments