Ukraine reports finding the remains of two Nigerian nationals in the Luhansk area, where they were reportedly battling for Russian forces in the four-year-long conflict.
In a statement released on Thursday, Ukraine noted that military intelligence teams located the bodies, naming the deceased as Hamzat Kazeen Kolawole, 42, and Mbah Stephen Udoka, 38.
“Both served in the 423rd Guards Motor Rifle Regiment (military unit 91701) of the 4th guards kantemirovskaya tank division of the armed forces of the russian federation,” the Ukraine’s defence intelligence said.
The report indicates that Kolawole and Udoka enlisted with the Russian military during the latter part of 2025—specifically Kolawole on August 29 and Udoka on September 28.
It was noted that Udoka had no previous training before being deployed on October 3, just five days following his enlistment. He was purportedly attached to a military unit and dispatched to Ukrainian regions currently under temporary occupation.
“No training records for Kolawole have been preserved; however, it is highly likely that he also received no military training,” the statement added.
“His wife and three children remain in Nigeria.”
The report clarified that both men lost their lives in late November due to a drone attack while trying to assault Ukrainian lines in Luhansk. “Ukraine’s Defence Intelligence warns foreign citizens against travelling to the russian federation or taking up any work on the territory of the aggressor state,” Ukraine’s defence intelligence said. It cautioned that visiting Russia carries a “real risk of being forced into a ‘suicide’ assault unit and, ultimately, rotting in Ukrainian soil”.
Only recently, a CNN probe detailed how citizens from Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, and Uganda were allegedly enticed to Russia with promises of civilian employment like security or driving roles. But when they landed in Russia, they were allegedly forced into the military and given little training before being deployed to the frontline.
This past Tuesday, Andrey Podyelyshev, Russia’s ambassador to Nigeria, refuted these claims and separated the Kremlin from the purported recruitment schemes. TheCable has contacted the Russian embassy in Abuja to seek their response to these new findings.