Nigerian Recruit Captured in Ukraine After Alleged Deception by Russian Army
Another Nigerian citizen has been reportedly captured while fighting for Russia in its ongoing war with Ukraine, adding to a disturbing trend of foreign nationals allegedly recruited under false pretenses. Ukrainian media outlet UnitedMedia24 disclosed that Balogun Ridwan, a Nigerian national, was arrested by Ukrainian forces after being allegedly misled into joining the Russian military.
Deceptive Recruitment and Coerced Contract Signing
According to the report, Mr. Ridwan traveled to Russia after being promised an engineering job, but upon arrival, he was allegedly compelled to sign a contract with the Russian army. He stated that the contract was written in Russian, a language he did not understand, and he was not allowed to use his phone for translation. "The day we were signing the contract, I didn’t understand the language. They didn’t allow us to use our phones to translate, so we signed our contracts. I told them already about my job. Maybe they were going to put me in my field. I didn’t know they would use me," he was quoted as saying.
Harsh Training and Deployment to Frontline
The report detailed that he received only a few weeks of training, which he described as chaotic, with recruits subjected to harsh conditions and their phones confiscated. He also mentioned another African recruit, Bubaka, who suffered a heart attack during training but was still deployed to the frontline. "We spent 16 days, not weeks, but the guy [Bubaka] didn’t pass his training at all. He was still sent with us to go to war. This was very bad," he said.
Mr. Ridwan was reportedly captured during a Ukrainian raid on a Russian base where he had been deployed, surrendering to Ukrainian troops in January. Interestingly, at the time of his capture, some Nigerian media outlets had erroneously reported him dead, listing him alongside other Nigerians like Adam Anas, Akinlawon Tunde Quyuum, and Abugu Stanley Onyeka, who were allegedly killed in combat after similar recruitment schemes.
Appeal for Assistance and Government Response
Now in custody, Mr. Ridwan is appealing for help to return to Nigeria, insisting he was deceived. "I travelled to Russia on a tourist visa to find a job. The government of Russia grossly fooled me, turned me into a soldier, and sent me to war in Ukraine. I appeal to my government, to my president, Bola Ahmed Tinubu. Forgive your son. I left home to feed my family. It did not work out the way I wanted," he reportedly said.
This case follows recent reports from Ukrainian military intelligence identifying two other Nigerians, Hamzat Kolawole and Mbah Udoka, who were allegedly killed while fighting for Russia in late November during a drone strike in the Luhansk region. Investigations by various media organizations have highlighted a pattern of foreign nationals being lured to Russia with promises of employment, higher wages, or educational opportunities, only to find themselves deployed to combat zones.
Official Warnings and Concerns
The Nigerian government has repeatedly warned citizens against recruitment into foreign armed conflicts. The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Tuggar, recently expressed concern over reports that Nigerians are being compelled to sign military contracts in foreign languages without proper legal guidance. He also noted allegations of travel documents being confiscated upon arrival and intermediaries facilitating travel under tourist or non-military visa categories.
Authorities have urged Nigerians to thoroughly verify overseas job offers and avoid any recruitment schemes linked to armed conflicts abroad, emphasizing the risks and legal implications involved.
