At least 215 Nigerians have reportedly been recruited into the Russian military to fight in the ongoing war against Ukraine, placing Nigeria fifth among African countries with the highest number of citizens enlisted, according to a Ukrainian government-backed agency.
The agency, StopRussianRecruiters.org, which operates partly under Ukraine’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, disclosed that at least 25 Nigerians recruited into the Russian armed forces had been confirmed dead or were missing.
The figures, compiled from reports by local media outlets, highlight growing concerns over the recruitment of African nationals into Russia’s military amid the protracted conflict with Ukraine.
Among the Nigerians confirmed dead was Ayebusiwa Olabode Victor, a 34-year-old former Nigerian naval officer whose death was announced by Ukraine’s Defence Intelligence in May.
Victor reportedly signed a military contract with Russia in February, barely a week after Nigeria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs raised concerns over the recruitment of its citizens into the Russian armed forces.
The latest disclosure comes amid reports by Ukrainian authorities that two other Nigerians, Hamzat Kazeem Kolawole and Mbah Udoka, were killed while fighting on Russia’s side in the conflict.
According to a statement by the Ukrainian authorities, the bodies of the two men were recovered in the Luhansk region of eastern Ukraine.
The authorities said both Nigerians died in late November during a drone strike while attempting to attack Ukrainian positions in the region.
They also alleged that the men had been deployed to the battlefield without receiving adequate military training, raising further concerns about the circumstances surrounding the recruitment and deployment of foreign nationals by Russian forces.
Reports indicate that some African nationals are attracted to Russia by promises of security-related employment but subsequently find themselves deployed to frontline combat operations, often with little or no adequate military preparation.
In its ranking of African countries affected by the recruitment, StopRussianRecruiters.org placed Cameroon first, followed by Ghana and Egypt in second and third positions, respectively. Kenya ranked fourth, with Nigeria occupying fifth place.
However, Russia has denied knowledge of facilitating the recruitment of African nationals to fight in the war.
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