At least four Nigerians reportedly recruited to fight alongside Russian forces in Ukraine have been killed in combat, according to sources familiar with the situation.
DAILY NIGERIAN identified the deceased as Adam Anas, Akinlawon Tunde Quyuum, Abugu Stanley Onyeka and Balogun Ridwan Adisa. The report said they were lured with what was presented as a “security job” but were later conscripted and sent to the war front after undergoing three weeks of training.
The Russian government has, however, denied issuing visas to Nigerians for the purpose of participating in the war in Ukraine.
Sources quoted by the newspaper said the Nigerians died on the battlefield on different dates between December 2025 and January 2026.
It was also reported that news of their deaths first emerged in a secret WhatsApp group created by African mercenaries.
According to the report, the ordeal of Adam Anas and others began after they informally accepted the “security job offer” through a Nigerian agent identified as Emiola Muhammad.
The publication further alleged that the Russian Embassy in Abuja issued the recruits single-entry tourist visas without biometric capture or completion of other standard application requirements. They were reportedly promised a monthly salary of 200,000 rubles (about ₦3.6 million), alongside allowances and other incentives.
When contacted for clarification, the Russian Embassy in Abuja referred DAILY NIGERIAN to a Facebook post addressing the issue.
“The Embassy of the Russian Federation in the Federal Republic of Nigeria reiterates that there are no programs or projects supported or implemented by the government agencies that involve Nigerian citizens in combat activities in the Special Military Operation zone in Ukraine.
“No visas have been issued to Nigerian citizens for this purpose,” the embassy said in the statement shared on Tuesday.
Late last year, Ukraine claimed that more than 1,400 individuals from 36 African countries were fighting on Russia’s side.
In November 2025, Ukraine’s Foreign Minister, Andrii Sybiha, warned that contracts imposed on African recruits were tantamount to signing a death sentence.
A December report by the French Institute of International Relations also alleged that Russian authorities confiscate the passports of African recruits and deploy them as cannon fodder in high-risk combat zones.