NEWS
25 Nigerians Dead or Missing in Russia-Ukraine War as Illegal Recruitment Network Raises Alarm
A growing number of Nigerians are being caught in the devastating Russia-Ukraine war despite the country’s neutrality, with fresh figures revealing that at least 25 Nigerians have been confirmed dead or are missing after joining Russia’s armed forces.
The latest data, published on June 29, 2026, by stoprussianrecruiters.org, a platform operated by Ukraine’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs tracking foreign military recruits, shows that 215 Nigerians have been identified as recruits in the Russian military. Of that number, 25 have either been killed or remain unaccounted for.
The grim statistics place Nigeria fifth among African countries with the highest number of confirmed casualties linked to the conflict, highlighting an increasingly troubling trend of young Nigerians being drawn into a foreign war through deceptive recruitment schemes.
Among the victims is Ayebusiwa Olabode Victor, a 34-year-old former Nigerian Navy personnel. He reportedly signed a contract with the Russian military in February 2026, just days after Nigeria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs warned citizens against participating in foreign armed conflicts. He was confirmed dead by Ukrainian military intelligence in May.
Others remain trapped by the war. Matthew Sunday Bankole, 37, has been held in a Ukrainian prisoner-of-war camp since November 2025.
Kehinde Oluwagbemileke Adisa, 30, who initially travelled to Russia to study Population and Development, later enlisted in the Russian military and has been detained since June. Another Nigerian, Adisa Ridwan Balogun, 33, has also remained in Ukrainian custody since December.
Investigations suggest that many of the recruits never intended to become soldiers. Instead, they were allegedly lured with promises of legitimate civilian jobs in logistics, driving, security, and technical services before being compelled into military service upon arrival in Russia.
Recruitment is said to occur largely through WhatsApp groups, Facebook pages, and informal agents who target unemployed graduates and job seekers with attractive employment offers, competitive salaries, and promises of Russian residency.
Victims reportedly arrive in Russia expecting civilian work, only to discover contracts linked to the Russian Ministry of Defence, often written in Russian without proper translation. Many allegedly have their passports confiscated while promised salaries are delayed or withheld, leaving them financially and legally trapped before deployment to the battlefield.
International investigations, including reports by CNN and other independent organisations, have documented similar experiences among African recruits, describing a widespread pattern of deception and coercion that human rights groups argue bears the hallmarks of human trafficking.
Former Senator Shehu Sani has described Nigerians fighting for Russia as mercenaries, warning that many unemployed youths are unknowingly sacrificing their lives in a conflict that offers little chance of survival.
While Russia’s Ambassador to Nigeria has denied any official programme targeting Nigerians for military recruitment, multiple investigations and intelligence reports continue to identify Nigerian nationals among those deployed to the frontlines.
Human rights organisations say the recruitment networks deliberately prey on economic hardship, targeting vulnerable young people with false promises before funneling them into military service against their expectations.
The situation has intensified calls for stronger action from the Nigerian government. Analysts argue that beyond issuing travel advisories, authorities must identify and prosecute local recruitment agents, dismantle online recruitment networks, strengthen legal protections against deceptive foreign military recruitment, and provide urgent consular support for Nigerians already caught in the conflict.
With dozens of lives already lost, many believe the tragedy underscores the urgent need for decisive intervention before more Nigerians become casualties in a war that is not their own.