NIGERIAN REPORTEDLY KILLED FIGHTING ALONGSIDE RUSSIAN FORCES IN UKRAINE WAR

Agency report

Reports from the Ukraine Defence Intelligence have confirmed the death of another Nigerian national, Ayebusiwa Olabode Victor, who was allegedly killed while fighting alongside Russian forces in the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine.

The development was disclosed in a statement published by the Ukrainian National News Agency, Ukrinform, in collaboration with the country’s Defence Intelligence arm, the Main Intelligence Directorate of Ukraine, on Thursday.

Victor, born on April 28, 1992, was said to hail from Ilutitun in Ondo State.

According to the report, he was killed in the Kharkiv region near the settlement of Hrafske during combat operations involving Ukrainian troops.

The intelligence agency stated that Victor signed a mercenary contract in late February 2026, about one week after Nigeria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs warned citizens against illegal recruitment into foreign conflicts.

It further alleged that foreign recruits are often lured with promises of employment and quick financial gain before being deployed to frontline positions shortly after arriving in Russia.

“Their story is typical… deception, promises of ‘easy money,’ a week of training, deployment to the front, and a quick death,” the statement read.

Ukrainian authorities also alleged that recruitment networks actively use social media platforms such as Facebook and WhatsApp to target African nationals.

It claimed that victims are issued visas and one-way tickets, and upon arrival in Moscow, their passports are seized under the guise of documentation processing.

They are subsequently told there is no job, no valid visa, and no means of return, leaving them with limited options.

“Deportation with debt, imprisonment, or signing a contract with the occupying army,” the agency said, describing the alleged choices faced by recruits.

The report also cited figures indicating that at least 215 Nigerians have signed contracts with the Russian Ministry of Defence, while about 25 are either dead or missing in action.

It further referenced earlier cases of Nigerian nationals reportedly killed under similar circumstances, describing it as part of an expanding pattern of foreign recruitment linked to the conflict.

The Ukrainian intelligence agency urged Nigerians to resist recruitment attempts and avoid being drawn into what it described as an “illegal war,” while encouraging victims or targets of such schemes to report through its designated support channels.

Meanwhile, the Nigerian government has repeatedly cautioned citizens against involvement in foreign armed conflicts, warning of legal and security consequences, and reiterating that Nigeria is not a party to the Russia-Ukraine war.

The latest report adds to growing international concern over alleged recruitment of African nationals into the conflict as the war continues with no immediate end in sight.