At least four Nigerian citizens recruited to fight for Russia in Ukraine have been killed in combat, according to sources familiar with the matter. The men—Adam Anas, Akinlawon Tunde Quyuum, Abugu Stanley Onyeka, and Balogun Ridwan Adisa—were allegedly lured with promises of civilian security jobs but were conscripted into the Russian military after brief training.
The men traveled to Russia in late 2025, with three arriving together in November and one earlier in the year. Sources indicate they died on the frontline between December 2025 and January 2026. A relative of one deceased fighter confirmed that Russian authorities did not notify families and warned other African recruits against doing so. News of the deaths first surfaced in a private WhatsApp group used by African mercenaries.
Investigations reveal a coordinated recruitment operation. A Nigerian agent, Emiola Muhammad, secured single-entry tourist visas for the recruits from the Russian Embassy in Abuja, bypassing standard in-person application requirements. Upon landing at Moscow’s Sheremetyevo Airport, they were diverted from immigration, according to a letter from Russia’s Ministry of Defense directing border officials to facilitate their entry for “contract military service.”
The recruits were taken to a military facility, where they were made to sign contracts written exclusively in Russian without translation. The contract obligates signees to “conscientiously perform all duties” and “courageously defend the Russian Federation.” They were then subjected to three weeks of training before deployment.
One of the deceased, Anas Adam, sent a final voice note describing a dangerous forest trek to the front, hampered by drone surveillance. The Russian Embassy did not respond to requests for comment. A spokesperson for Nigeria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated the ministry was unaware of the incident.
Ukraine has previously claimed that over 1,400 Africans from 36 nations are fighting for Russia, with officials describing the contracts as “a death sentence.” A December 2025 report by the French Institute of International Relations alleged Russian authorities confiscate African recruits’ passports and use them as cannon fodder in perilous offensives.
Abubakar Adamu, the sole known Nigerian survivor, is now seeking repatriation. A legal notice on his behalf asserts he was deceived into signing an enlistment contract under false pretenses, without understanding the Russian-language document due to no interpreter being provided. The notice invokes the doctrine of non est factum and alleges fundamental misrepresentation, demanding his immediate release, return of his passport, and safe passage to Nigeria.
The case highlights the vulnerability of African migrants to illicit recruitment channels feeding the Russia-Ukraine war and raises questions about consular protection and international law violations involving forced combatants.
