Nigerian man alleges forced recruitment into Russian army

A Nigerian man identified as Abubakar Adamu has appealed to the federal government to facilitate his return to Nigeria, alleging that he was misled into joining the Russian military after being promised civilian employment.

According to Zagazola Makama, a counter-terrorism publication, Adamu’s legal team has formally alerted Nigerian authorities about his situation. They explained that he travelled to Moscow on a tourist visa issued on October 16, 2025, by the Russian Embassy in Abuja, believing he had secured a job as a sentry.

However, upon arrival, his passport and other travel documents were allegedly taken from him. His lawyers claim he was compelled to sign enlistment papers written entirely in Russian, without any translation or interpreter present. It was only afterward that he realised he had been enlisted into the Russian army.

They further stated that Adamu is currently at a Russian military camp and has refused deployment to combat zones in Ukraine, leaving him stranded.

The case comes amid heightened scrutiny over reports that African nationals have been drawn into Russia’s war effort under questionable circumstances. On Thursday, February 12, Ukraine’s Defence Intelligence announced that it had recovered the bodies of two Nigerians in the Luhansk region who were allegedly fighting for Russia.

The men, identified as Hamzat Kazeem Kolawole, 42, and Mbah Stephen Udoka, 38, reportedly died in late November 2025, only months after joining the Russian military.

A recent CNN investigation described how individuals from countries such as Ghana, Nigeria, Kenya and Uganda were allegedly enticed to Russia with promises of civilian jobs, including driving and security work. The report claimed that some were instead forced into military service with minimal preparation before being sent to the front lines.

In response to the allegations, Russian ambassador to Nigeria Andrey Podyelyshev denied that the Kremlin was involved in any such recruitment programme, dismissing the claims earlier this week.