Tragic Fate of Nigerian Fighters in Ukraine Conflict
At least four Nigerian citizens who were recruited to fight alongside Russian forces in the ongoing Ukraine conflict have been killed on the battlefield, according to exclusive information obtained by DailyNigerian. The deceased individuals have been identified as Adam Anas, Akinlawon Tunde Quyuum, Abugu Stanley Onyeka, and Balogun Ridwan Adisa. They were reportedly lured to Russia with promises of lucrative security jobs, only to be forcibly conscripted into military service after just three weeks of training.
Deceptive Recruitment and Covert Deployment
Investigations reveal that the four men, along with a survivor named Abubakar Adamu, traveled together in November 2025, while Mr. Adisa had been recruited earlier in the year. Their ordeal began when they accepted what they believed to be legitimate security job offers from a Nigerian agent identified as Emiola Muhammad. The Russian Embassy in Abuja allegedly collaborated in this scheme by granting the recruits single-entry tourist visas without proper biometric capture or standard application procedures, despite official warnings against third-party submissions.
Upon arrival at Moscow's Sheremetyevo International Airport, the Nigerians were immediately separated from regular immigration queues and escorted through a special passage. A confidential letter from the Russian Ministry of Defense, addressed to border control authorities, explicitly stated that these "Nigerian foreign citizens" were scheduled to report to a military recruitment center in Yaroslavl to sign contracts for service. The document effectively bypassed normal entry protocols.
Coercion and Combat Deployment
The recruits were presented with contracts written entirely in Russian, without any English translation. They were compelled to sign these documents, which included clauses requiring them to "selflessly serve the people of the Russian Federation" and "courageously defend" the country. Immediately afterward, their passports and phones were confiscated, and they were transported to a military camp for training.
One of the African conscripts described the process: "Our passports and phones were seized immediately, but some of us managed to sneak in a phone. After spending hours at a camp in Moscow, they waited till night time before driving us on a five-hour road trip to the military camp." The men were promised a monthly salary of 200,000 rubles (approximately 3.6 million naira), along with allowances and other benefits—a tempting offer that masked the deadly reality ahead.
Fatal Drone Attacks and Secret Communications
The four Nigerians died in separate incidents between December 2025 and January 2026, primarily due to drone attacks on the frontlines. Their deaths were first reported in a secret WhatsApp group used by African mercenaries, rather than through official channels. A relative of Adam Anas lamented, "We heard about the death of our brother through one of his colleagues. His picture was posted in a secret WhatsApp group. Our family was never contacted by the Russian authorities."
In his final voice message to a friend, Adam Anas—a father of three—described the perilous conditions: "Please pray for us, we are in the middle of a forest. It is a two-week journey on foot, and the road is dangerous as there are so many drones. So far we have trekked for four days. We are one camp away from our destination. Because of the presence of drones, they are sending us one after another."
Official Responses and International Context
When contacted for comment, the Russian Embassy did not respond to inquiries. Meanwhile, Kimiebi Ebienfa, spokesperson for Nigeria's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, stated that the ministry was unaware of the incident, calling it "a sad development and quite unfortunate."
This tragedy occurs within a broader pattern of African recruitment by Russia. In late 2025, Ukraine claimed that over 1,400 individuals from 36 African nations were fighting for Russian forces. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha warned that contracts forced upon Africans were equivalent to signing a death sentence. A December report by the French Institute of International Relations further alleged that Russian authorities confiscate passports of African recruits and use them as cannon fodder in high-risk combat zones.
Plea for Repatriation and Legal Challenges
The sole known survivor among the Nigerian group, Abubakar Adamu, is now pleading for help. Through his legal representatives, he has appealed to the Nigerian government to secure his repatriation. His lawyers argue that the enlistment contract is void due to non est factum (a legal doctrine for documents signed under misunderstanding) and fundamental misrepresentation, as he was deceived about the nature of the documents he signed.
The legal letter demands that Russian authorities:
- Cease any military deployment of Abubakar Adamu
- Return his confiscated passport and travel documents
- Facilitate his safe and immediate return to Nigeria
It also highlights violations of international law, emphasizing that holding foreign nationals against their will and forcing them into combat service breaches fundamental human rights protocols.
This distressing episode underscores the dangers faced by vulnerable individuals caught in global conflicts, and raises serious questions about the ethics of foreign recruitment practices in wartime.
