Nigeria TV Info 

How 36 Nigerian Youths Ended Up in the Russia-Ukraine War

A disturbing new investigation has revealed how at least 36 Nigerian youths were drawn into Russia’s ongoing war against Ukraine, many under false pretences of civilian employment and promised opportunities abroad — only to be thrust into combat with little or no training.

According to The Business of Despair: The Russian Army’s Recruiting of African Fighters, published in February 2026, recruiters targeted economically vulnerable Nigerians on social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, Telegram and TikTok. Ads and posts promised lucrative salaries, signing bonuses — in some cases up to $30,000 — and fast-track access to Russian citizenship.

Recruits were reportedly assisted by travel agencies that advertised “fast-track” paperwork and discounted flights to Russia, often misleading applicants to believe they had secured civilian roles as security personnel, teachers or hospitality workers. Once in Russia, many said their passports were confiscated, documents were signed in Russian without translation, and they were coerced into military contracts.

An unnamed Nigerian captured by Ukrainian forces said he was forced to sign enlistment papers after arriving and underwent only weeks of rudimentary training before deployment to the frontlines. Others, like Abubakar Adamu, are reported to be refusing orders and seeking government intervention for repatriation.

Families of several of the deceased have spoken out in grief and outrage. On February 12, 2026, Ukraine’s military intelligence confirmed the deaths of two Nigerians — Hamzat Kazeen Kolawole and Mbah Stephen Udoka — who had signed up for service in mid-2025 and were killed by a drone strike in the Luhansk region.

Despite these accounts, Russia’s ambassador to Nigeria denied any state-sponsored recruitment, claiming that if Nigerians were recruited, it was through unauthorised individuals and not connected to Moscow’s government.

Nigerian officials maintain that a repatriation effort in 2023 concluded all evacuations, and those who chose to enlist did so on their own accord — a position that legal representatives of affected families are challenging.

The controversial phenomenon reflects broader concerns over the exploitation of vulnerable Africans by recruitment networks seeking manpower for one of the deadliest conflicts in Europe since 2022.