The Federal Government has issued a strong warning to citizens following confirmation that two Nigerians were killed in Ukraine while fighting alongside Russian forces. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the development underscores a growing pattern of illegal recruitment of Nigerians into foreign armed conflicts.
Foreign Affairs Minister Yusuf Tuggar expressed deep concern over what he described as deceptive enlistment schemes targeting vulnerable Nigerians. The warning followed disclosures by Ukrainian authorities that the deceased, identified as Hamzat Kolawole and Mbah Udoka, died in combat in eastern Ukraine.
According to Ukraine’s military intelligence, the two men were found dead in the Luhansk region, a key frontline zone in the ongoing Russia-Ukraine War. Officials said both individuals had signed contracts with the Russian military in 2025 prior to their deaths.
In a statement issued on Sunday, February 15, through his spokesperson Kimiebi Ebienfa, the minister cautioned Nigerians to exercise extreme vigilance when presented with overseas job or migration offers. He noted that security reports and media investigations indicate that recruitment networks often disguise military enlistment as lucrative employment, security contracts, scholarship programs, or migration opportunities.
The ministry said several Nigerians have reportedly been misled into traveling abroad under false pretences, only to be deployed to combat zones after signing military service contracts. In some instances, victims were allegedly compelled to sign documents written in foreign languages without proper legal advice. Reports also suggest that travel documents were confiscated upon arrival, limiting the individuals’ ability to withdraw.
Authorities further indicated that intermediaries and travel agents may facilitate such movements under tourist or non military visa categories, masking the true purpose of the trip.
International media investigations have previously documented cases of Africans, including Nigerians, allegedly lured to Russia with promises of employment and education before being sent to the battlefield. Some reports have also highlighted cases involving young African women recruited under scholarship schemes who later faced exploitation.
The deaths of Kolawole and Udoka bring renewed attention to the risks facing foreign nationals drawn into the Russia Ukraine conflict, which has continued to attract fighters from multiple regions since its escalation in 2022.
The Foreign Affairs Ministry stressed that participation in foreign wars outside officially sanctioned frameworks may violate both Nigerian law and international conventions governing mercenary activities and foreign enlistment.
Officials warned that citizens who choose to engage in such conflicts do so at their own risk. The government said it is working with domestic and international partners to investigate the reported recruitment patterns and to strengthen public awareness campaigns on the dangers involved.
Nigerian diplomatic missions abroad have also been directed to intensify consular vigilance and provide timely advisory services to nationals, particularly in regions where such recruitment activities are suspected.
The incident is likely to deepen scrutiny of transnational recruitment networks operating across Africa and Eastern Europe. For Nigerian authorities, the immediate priority appears to be preventing further casualties by tightening monitoring efforts and educating citizens on the legal and personal consequences of foreign military enlistment.
As the war in Ukraine continues, officials say greater coordination between governments will be critical in curbing deceptive recruitment practices and protecting vulnerable populations from being drawn into distant and deadly conflicts.
