Four Nigerians Killed After Being Recruited to Fight for Russia in Ukraine

At least four Nigerians who traveled to Ukraine to fight for Russia have been killed in drone attacks, sources say. The deceased are Adam Anas, Akinlawon Tunde Quyuum, Abugu Stanley Onyeka, and Balogun Ridwan Adisa.

Investigations reveal that the men were recruited under the pretense of civilian “security jobs” but were redirected to the Russian military after three weeks of training. While Anas, Quyuum, Onyeka, and a sole survivor, Abubakar Adamu, traveled together in November 2025, Adisa had been recruited earlier in the year. Their deaths occurred between December 2025 and January 2026.

Family members were not informed by Russian authorities, with news of the deaths first appearing in a private WhatsApp group for African mercenaries. “Our family was never contacted. We learned of his death through a colleague who posted his photo in a group,” said a relative of Adam Anas.

Sources say the recruitment was facilitated by Nigerian agent Emiola Muhammad and the Russian Embassy in Abuja, which issued visas without biometric capture or in-person application, bypassing normal procedures. Recruits were promised monthly salaries of 200,000 rubles (around 3.6 million naira) plus allowances.

On arrival at Moscow’s Sheremetyevo International Airport, the Nigerians were diverted from standard immigration processes. They were taken directly to a military recruitment center in Yaroslavl, where they were asked to sign contracts written only in Russian. The contracts obligated them to full military service, including participation in combat operations.

After signing, the men underwent three weeks of military training. Passports and phones were seized, and they were transported to the frontlines. A voice note from Adam Anas described the harsh conditions: “Please pray for us… it is a two-week journey on foot, and the road is dangerous as there are so many drones.”

The Russian Embassy in Abuja did not respond to inquiries, and Nigeria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said it was unaware of the incident. Ukrainian officials have previously reported that over 1,400 Africans are fighting for Russia, with contracts described as coercive and deadly.

The sole Nigerian survivor, Abubakar Adamu, has appealed for repatriation. Through his lawyer, he stated he was lured with a civilian job, forced to sign Russian-language military documents, and is now seeking intervention for safe return. His legal representation cited misrepresentation, lack of informed consent, and violations of international law.