The Ukrainian government says it has identified two Nigerian nationals who died while fighting for Russia in the ongoing war between the two Eastern European countries.
In the statement issued on Thursday, Ukraine’s Military Intelligence said the corpses of the Nigerians, identified as Hamzat Kolawole and Mbah Udoka, were found in the Luhansk region in eastern Ukraine.
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It said the Nigerians joined the Russian army in mid to late 2025, after signing a contract with the country. But neither of them received any military training before deployment to the front line.
“Udoka received no training whatsoever — just five days later, on October 3, he was assigned to the unit and sent to the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine. No training records for Kolawole have been preserved; however, it is highly likely that he also received no military training. His wife and three children remain in Nigeria,” the statement read.
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The two died in November during an attempt to “storm Ukrainian positions in the Luhansk region.”
“They never engaged in a firefight — the mercenaries were eliminated by a drone strike,” the military intelligence added.
Since 2025, cases of Nigerians and other African nationals being recruited to fight for Russian forces in Ukraine have been surfacing at an increasing rate.
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According to a New York Times report, about two million Russian and Ukrainian troops have died in nearly four years of a war that has lasted four years.
Multiple investigations have highlighted cases of individuals allegedly lured by promises of employment, higher wages, or educational opportunities, only to find themselves later deployed to combat zones.
A CNN investigation showed young Africans from countries such as Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, and Uganda were lured into Russia with fake job offers and then deployed to the front lines.
An investigation by Punch published last month also documented cases in which Nigerians were lured to Russia and, upon arrival, found themselves pressured to sign military contracts without translation or legal guidance before enlisting.
READ ALSO: How war leaves deep trauma among survivors in Ukraine
Investigations have also shown cases of African girls being lured into Russia and then subjected to exploitation.
Last year, a collaborative investigation by ZAM and PREMIUM TIMES revealed that young Africans, particularly women aged 18-22, were recruited through schemes that promised training, scholarships, education, and stable employment in Russia.
The investigation focused on Alabuga Start’s recruitment efforts, a Russian state-backed initiative that was presented as offering fully funded two-year scholarships.
The use of official-looking programmes and promotional materials made the opportunities seem legitimate.
The investigation also showed that in Nigeria, the programme contracted unlicensed recruitment agencies to recruit young women. Some of them, with substantial social media followings, use frequent social media posts to increase the reach and demand.
The initiative primarily targets young women who are from financially disadvantaged backgrounds.
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