Nigerian Man Claims He Was Coerced Into Joining Russian Military

A Nigerian national named Abubakar Adamu has called upon the federal government to help him return to Nigeria, claiming he was deceived into joining the Russian military after being promised a civilian job.

As reported by the counter-terrorism outlet Zagazola Makama, Adamu’s legal team has officially informed Nigerian officials about his concerning situation. They detailed that he travelled to Moscow on a tourist visa that was issued on October 16, 2025, by the Russian Embassy in Abuja, under the impression that he would be employed as a sentry.

Upon his arrival in Russia, however, his passport and other travel documents were reportedly confiscated. His lawyers assert that he was forced to sign enlistment documents written entirely in Russian, without any form of translation or interpretation provided. It was only after he had signed that he realized he had enrolled in the Russian army.

According to his legal team, Adamu is currently located at a Russian military base, where he has resisted being sent to fight in conflict zones in Ukraine, leaving him in a precarious situation.

This incident occurs alongside growing concerns over reports suggesting that African citizens have been drawn into Russia’s military efforts under dubious pretexts. On February 12, Ukraine’s Defence Intelligence reported recovering the bodies of two Nigerians in the Luhansk region who were allegedly participating in the conflict on behalf of Russia.

The deceased were named as Hamzat Kazeem Kolawole, 42, and Mbah Stephen Udoka, 38, who reportedly lost their lives in late November 2025, just months after their enlistment in the Russian forces.

A recent investigation by CNN detailed how individuals from nations such as Ghana, Nigeria, Kenya, and Uganda were purportedly lured to Russia with the promise of civilian job opportunities, including driving and security positions. The report indicated that some of these individuals were instead coerced into military service with little preparation prior to being sent to combat zones.

In response to these serious allegations, Andrey Podyelyshev, the Russian ambassador to Nigeria, refuted claims that the Kremlin is engaged in any recruitment initiatives, dismissing the accusations earlier this week.