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Job scam: How Nigerians are lured into Ukraine-Russia war
They boarded planes believing they were heading to work sites, supermarkets or security posts. Instead, they arrived at military camps, where refusal to fight meant intimidation, detention or abandonment. As the Russia-Ukraine war grinds on, young Nigerians are emerging as disposable foot soldiers — recruited not by ideology, but by hunger.
Thirty-one-year-old Benjamin Oloko, who sold wares at Aleshinloye Market in Ibadan, Oyo State, believed he was set to japa for good when a friend asked him to check out a recruitment agency he found on Facebook last year. On the page was a lucrative job offer — a security job promising $1,500 monthly and a $20,000 sign-up bonus. The job was in Russia, a 15-hour flight from Nigeria.
Fearing that family and friends might not let his destiny shine, Oloko began the process discreetly. His worry was that they might persuade him not to seek greener pastures by pointing to the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war, which began in 2022. Desperate to escape Nigeria’s economic hardship, he borrowed money, convinced that repayment would not be a problem once he began earning his lavish pay in Russia.
He paid the agent’s fee, bought his ticket and processed his visa, spending about $1,000 in all. By mid-September 2025, Oloko arrived in Russia brimming with excitement and ready to achieve his dreams of a beautiful life.
Upon arrival, airport officials collected his passport and phone after instructing him to notify his “handler” to pick him up and take him to the hotel booked for him. After about eight hours at the airport, a Belarusian man arrived to pick him up. He was immediately asked to pay $500 to be handed over to the main agent in Russia to sort out accommodation, which he promptly did.
At the hotel, Oloko was lodged alongside four other Africans. One was another Nigerian, who turned out to be an Amotekun personnel from Oyo State who had abandoned the outfit for the better-paying Russia job offer. The other three were from Uganda, Kenya and Sudan.
Oloko stayed at the hotel for five days. It was during his interaction with his fellow Africans that he began to realise he might not be in Russia for a private security job after all, but a Russian Army assignment. It was at this point that he called family and friends to reveal where he was and what awaited him — that he had been lured to Russia to join the military.
When he contacted his Nigerian agent for confirmation, the narrative changed from a private security job to claims that he would only work in the kitchen at the war camp and would not be deployed to the frontline. While awaiting transfer to the military camp, his family warned him against signing any contract.
“I was warned that signing the contract meant signing my death warrant,” Oloko said.
Frontline reality
After more than a week, he and the others were moved to the military camp for training. On arrival, three of them signed the contract, while Oloko and the Amotekun officer refused. The three who signed began taking pictures and videos, which they sent to the Russian agent to show they were living their best lives. This put pressure on Oloko and his newfound ally.
Initially, they were enticed with promises of several goodies. This lasted two weeks. By the third week, enticement gave way to threats to sign the contract.
“We were threatened and put under serious pressure to sign the contract,” Oloko said.
The Russian agent, a middle-aged woman, warned that our refusal to sign the contract would make her lose money. When they remained unyielding, she said they would not be allowed to leave the camp until they refunded all the money spent on lodging and feeding them. This amounted to $500, which they paid before being released.
After collecting the money, she instructed her driver to take them away from the camp and return them to the hotel. Angry over the failed mission, Oloko said that after about two hours of driving, the driver suddenly stopped, asked them to pick up their belongings and get out of the car.
“The driver, after about two hours, asked us to get down and dropped us in the bush. He collected our wallet and passport. We had to walk for several hours, till dawn, before we got help,” Oloko said.
They found themselves in the middle of nowhere — foreigners in a strange land. Oloko said they trekked for seven hours before encountering a Belarusian truck driver who helped them to town.
“We arrived at the airport, but our passports were not released. Even with the involvement of the Nigerian embassy, the Russian agent refused to release our passports.”
Oloko said he had to call home to borrow money to return to Nigeria. His Amotekun ally also returned home. He added that he kept in touch with the other three who signed up for the war.
Presently, Oloko said two of them have died in the war, while one escaped with injuries from a bomb blast and is still hospitalised. He said he saw many Africans during his stay at the military camp, many forced to continue training despite sustaining injuries.
Similarly, 36-year-old Nigerian mechanic, Bankole Manchi, left Lagos to secure a Russia security job that promised N500,000 monthly. An agent handled the travel process, requesting minimal personal information. Unlike Oloko, Bankole informed his family of his plans to travel to Russia to make ends meet. He travelled through Addis Ababa to Moscow.
Upon arrival, Bankole said he was handed over to men who assured him everything was fine. Instead of being taken to a workplace, he was transported to a military-style camp where he met recruits from Nigeria, Ghana, France, Brazil and China.
He said many struggled to communicate due to language barriers and relied on translation apps. According to him, they were told there was “no way out” once inside the facility. Training began with basic drills before progressing to weapon handling, grenade practice and night operations. Several recruits were injured during training but were still forced to continue.
Bankole said they were later moved at night to what they realised was Ukrainian territory. Shortly after arriving at the frontline, heavy gunfire broke out and he was shot in the leg. He added that food was extremely scarce, with recruits surviving mainly on water for days before receiving medical attention. He described African recruits as “disposable fighters”.
Dominant among the jobs used to lure Africans to Russia are private security roles, supermarket work, airport jobs or housekeeping. Leaving their countries with promises of well-paid civilian employment, they arrive only to be detained and dumped in military camps, trained as soldiers and deployed to the frontline after signing contracts.
The recruitment network targets young Africans in their 20s and 30s, pressuring them into military service upon arrival. Oloko and Bankole are among many Nigerians lured into serving as mercenaries in the Russia-Ukraine war, which began in February 2014, with Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine commencing on February 24, 2022.
Russian President Vladimir Putin hinged the invasion, after years of tension between Russia and Ukraine, on Kyiv’s growing ties with the West, which he viewed as a threat to Russia’s influence. Putin cited alleged genocide against Russian speakers in the Donbas as justification. However, these claims were widely discredited, with the invasion largely seen as an attempt to reassert Russia’s influence over Ukraine and prevent its deeper integration into the European Union and NATO.
At the outbreak of the war, both Russia and Ukraine openly invited mercenaries from across the world to join their forces. Ukraine’s invitation, titled “Join the Brave,” listed units such as the 3rd Assault Brigade, 60th Separate Mechanised Brigade, 53rd Separate Mechanised Brigade, Compania Serpente, Able and Omega Company.
Requirements included an age limit of 18 to 60 years, no criminal record, no chronic illnesses, physical fitness, ability to legally enter Ukraine and relevant experience. Applicants were required to submit personal details, links to social media accounts, marital status, preferred unit, medical conditions, military experience and the duration they were willing to serve — between six months and “until victory”.
Grim reality
In terms of casualties, a report released by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights in June 2025 revealed that more than 13,300 civilians had been killed and over 31,700 injured since February 2022.
Similarly, the Centre for Strategic and International Studies, based in Washington, D.C., estimated that Russian military deaths and injuries would reach one million by the summer of 2025. It also estimated Ukrainian military casualties since 2022 at about 400,000, including roughly 100,000 soldiers killed.
In 2022, Russia’s Defence Ministry claimed that 38 Nigerian fighters had been killed in Ukraine since the start of the war. According to the ministry, 85 Nigerians had enlisted as foreign mercenaries, of whom 38 were killed while 35 returned home.
The ministry faulted Kyiv’s claim that 20,000 foreign mercenaries were supporting Ukraine’s defence, insisting that it monitored and recorded every foreign national who entered Ukraine as a mercenary or trainee.
By November 2025, however, Reuters quoted Ukraine’s Foreign Minister as saying that more than 1,400 citizens from 36 African countries were fighting alongside Russian forces in Ukraine. Ukrainian officials claimed that Russia bolstered its troops by recruiting fighters from various countries, sometimes through deception.
Ukraine’s Foreign Minister, Andriy Sybiha, said Russia was enticing Africans to sign contracts he described as “equivalent to a death sentence”.
“Foreign citizens in the Russian army have a sad fate. Most of them are immediately sent to the so-called meat assaults, where they are quickly killed,” Sybiha said.
He added that the number of African recruits could be higher than the 1,436 identified from 36 countries, noting that most foreign mercenaries in Ukrainian custody were captured during their first combat mission.
Following these revelations, the South African government said it would investigate how 17 of its citizens joined mercenary forces after the men sent distress calls seeking help to return home. Similarly, Kenya said some of its citizens had been detained in military camps across Russia after “unknowingly” getting caught up in the conflict.
The Methodist Church Nigeria has honoured the General Manager of the Enugu State Community and Social Development Agency (CSDA), Hon. Monday Diamond Ani, with the prestigious “Apostle of Faith Award” in recognition of his outstanding humanitarian services and contributions to community development.
The award was presented by the Methodist Diocese of Akegbe, Aninri and Awgu Archdiocese (AAA) under the leadership of Rt. Rev. C. Orji, the Methodist Bishop of AAA Diocese, Enugu.
According to the Church, the honour was bestowed on Hon. Ani in acknowledgment of his selfless commitment to community development, social welfare, and humanitarian service over the years. The Church noted that his contributions have transcended political considerations and have positively impacted countless lives across communities.
His consistent humanitarian interventions have earned him the popular title “Odoziobodo”, meaning “one who builds and restores communities.”
Hon. Ani is widely regarded as a passionate advocate for community service, driven by a desire to improve living standards and promote love, unity, and a sense of
belonging among the people. His dedication reflects Christ’s teaching on the greatest commandment—love for God and love for one’s neighbour—placing service to humanity at the centre of purposeful living.
Due to his unavoidable absence, the award was received on his behalf and later presented to him at his office by Dr. Okechukwu Animba, Vice President (South-East) of the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU).
Responding to the honour, Hon. Ani expressed profound gratitude to Rt. Rev. C. Orji and the entire Methodist Diocese for recognising his humanitarian efforts. He prayed for God’s continued grace and strength to serve humanity and touch more lives through his work.
He also appreciated his principal, the Executive Governor of Enugu State, Dr. Peter Mbah, for appointing him to lead the CSDA, an agency charged with driving community interventions and sustainable development across the state.
When the Enugu State House of Assembly adopted the report of its Special Committee on Land Matters and Disputes in 2024, many observers described it as a watershed moment in the long-running controversy surrounding the Centenary City land in Amechi and Obeagu communities.
The report attracted national attention because it tackled a dispute that had generated numerous court cases, allegations of intimidation, destruction of property, community unrest, and claims involving some of the most influential figures in the state.
For many residents of Amechi and Obeagu, the Assembly’s intervention provided the first official platform where their grievances appeared to receive impartial consideration. The committee’s findings were widely commended for their detailed examination of the circumstances surrounding the acquisition and development of over 1,097 hectares of ancestral land.
At the heart of the controversy was the allegation that Private Estates International West Africa Limited (PEIWA), operating under a development agreement with the Enugu State Government, relied on questionable documents to assert rights over vast portions of land originally linked to a proposed university project initiated during the administration of former Anambra State Governor, Dr. Jim Nwobodo.
After reviewing submissions from the parties, the Assembly committee identified several inconsistencies in documents connected with the acquisition process. Among its findings were concerns regarding the authenticity of a survey plan purportedly prepared for the “Permanent Site of Enugu State University of Science and Technology” in 1985, despite the fact that Enugu State had not yet been created at that time.
Controversial Enugu Centenary Land: A Daniel Has Come To Judgement
The committee also questioned the authenticity of signatures and official endorsements appearing on key documents, including survey records, gazette notices, and correspondences allegedly executed on behalf of traditional authorities in Amechi and Obeagu communities.
Based on these findings, the committee concluded that the host communities had established that they were not properly carried along in the acquisition process and recommended dialogue, compensation, government intervention, and a comprehensive audit of lands developed under the Centenary City project.
At the time, many hailed the report as evidence that the legislature was willing to confront powerful interests in defence of justice and accountability.
Two years later, events appear to have given fresh significance to those findings.
Today, Kingsley Eze, Chamberlin Mbachu and Private Estates International (W.A.) Limited are facing criminal charges before the Federal High Court, Enugu, in connection with the alleged forgery of a survey plan linked to the disputed acquisition of ancestral lands in Amechi and Obeagu communities.
According to the charge sheet in Charge No. FHC/EN/CR/84/2025, the defendants are accused of conspiring to forge a survey plan titled “Permanent Site of Enugu State University of Science and Technology” purportedly dated 1985.
The prosecution alleges that the defendants knowingly made or uttered the survey plan as a genuine document despite its alleged falsity. The offences are said to be punishable under relevant provisions of the Miscellaneous Offences Act.
The criminal charges have drawn renewed attention to the conclusions reached by the Enugu State House of Assembly in 2024, particularly its observations regarding inconsistencies surrounding the same survey plan and related acquisition documents.
The developments have also prompted further advocacy from civil society organisations. The Rule of Law and Accountability Advocacy Centre (RULAAC) has called on the Inspector-General of Police to direct the Police Monitoring Unit to take over investigations and prosecutions connected with the dispute, investigate allegations of misconduct against certain police officers, and review criminal proceedings allegedly used for harassment and intimidation.
In a separate petition dated May 28, 2026, RULAAC also urged the Inspector-General of Police to intervene in two criminal cases pending before the Federal High Court, Enugu, citing repeated failures by law enforcement authorities to produce defendants for arraignment.
The cases include Charge No. FHC/EN/CR/84/2025, IGP v. Kingsley Eze & 2 Others, and Charge No. FHC/EN/CR/222/2024, IGP v. Alex Ifeadi & 2 Others.
As the criminal proceedings continue, many observers believe the matter has entered a decisive phase. The allegations that were once the subject of community petitions, legislative inquiries and public debate are now before a court of law for determination.
Whether the Assembly’s 2024 report marked the beginning of accountability or merely one chapter in a much longer struggle remains to be seen. What is clear, however, is that the issues raised by the Amechi and Obeagu communities have not faded away. Instead, they have evolved into a legal test that could shape public confidence in land administration, governance and the rule of law in Enugu State for years to come.
If the legislative findings, criminal investigations and court proceedings ultimately converge on the truth, then many residents may indeed conclude that, at long last, a Daniel has come to judgment.
Son of the late head of state and former Minister of Defence, Chief Thomas Aguiyi-Ironsi, in a letter of remembrance and solidarity written on behalf of the Aguiyi-Ironsi family to the Fajuyi family, marking the 60th anniversary of his death, said July 29, 2026, will be a solemn occasion to honour a soldier they described as “a war hero who offered himself as a sacrificial lamb for the unity and integrity of the nation.”
The family recalled that Lt Col Fajuyi, then Military Governor of the Western Region, made the ultimate sacrifice in 1966 when mutinous soldiers abducted him alongside Maj Gen Aguiyi-Ironsi in Ibadan during the military counter-coup.
They stated that Fajuyi, in a defining moment of conscience, chose honour over personal safety and refused to abandon his guest and superior, a decision the family said reflected the highest ideals of loyalty, integrity, and military brotherhood.
According to the statement, his action transformed him into a national martyr whose legacy continued to inspire unity, courage, and selfless service.
The Aguiyi-Ironsi family also expressed sympathy with the Fajuyi family, acknowledging the enduring pain of their loss, while praying for continued strength, comfort, and peace.
The statement further stated, “He did not run. He did not hide. He chose to stand. In that sacrificial decision lay the essence of his greatness.”
The family called on government institutions, military authorities, and custodians of national memory to ensure sustained recognition and support for the Fajuyi family, stressing that his sacrifice remained a national responsibility to remember and honour.
It urged Nigerians to draw inspiration from his life and death, noting that his legacy continues to challenge the nation to uphold unity, courage, honour, and selfless service.
Fajuyi was killed on July 29, 1966, during the military counter-coup in Ibadan alongside Aguiyi-Ironsi.
By Okey Maduforo Awka
The emergence of Chief Ikeagwuonu Ugochinyere as the Minority Leader of the Federal House of Representatives has been described as a vindication of the fact that the Action People’s Party (APP ) represents the collective interests of the Nigerian masses.
Recall that recently, Ugochinyere was elected as the Minority Leader of the party in a keenly contested election of the Federal House of Representatives.
According to a statement by the Chairman Anambra state chapter of the APP Chief Chijioke Okeke, Ugochinyere had been consistent in offering himself as the voice of the people and that of the voiceless.
“It did not come to us as a surprise that our great leader High Chief Ugochinyere became the Minority leader of the Federal House of Representatives because he has always been consistent and focus towards providing himself as the only vent for the masses at the Green Chambers”
“We know his pedegre as a politician as well as a leader and he has remained focus in ensuring that the voiceless are heard and this is also a vindication of our party’s unflinching desire to provide a veritable platform in a democratic process”
Okeke further stated that the fifth columnists who had attempted to deregister the party have been put to shame adding that the party shall continue to champion the interests of the Nigerian people.
“They made failed attempt at deregistering our great party but they lost sight of the fact that the APP is firmely rooted on ground and has all that it takes to drive the wishes and aspirations of the Nigerian populace and with this recent development our traducers have been put to shame and our party is on the path of further greatness “. Okeke noted .
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