The Ukrainian Defence Intelligence has announced the death of another Nigerian national, Ayebusiwa Olabode Victor, who was reportedly fighting alongside Russian forces in the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war.
According to statements released on Thursday by the Ukrainian National News Agency, Ukrinform, and the Main Intelligence Directorate of Ukraine, Victor was allegedly killed during combat operations in the Kharkiv region near the settlement of Hrafske.
The deceased, said to be from Ilutitun in Ondo State, was reportedly born on April 28, 1992.
Ukrainian authorities claimed that Victor signed a mercenary contract with the Russian military in late February 2026, barely a week after Nigeria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs warned citizens against illegal recruitment into foreign armed conflicts.
The intelligence agency alleged that foreign nationals, particularly Africans, are being recruited through deceptive promises of lucrative jobs and quick financial rewards before being deployed to the battlefield shortly after arriving in Russia.
“Their story is typical… deception, promises of ‘easy money,’ a week of training, deployment to the front, and a quick death,” the statement said.
According to the agency, recruiters allegedly use social media platforms, including Facebook and WhatsApp, to target vulnerable African youths seeking opportunities abroad.
The Ukrainian authorities further claimed that recruits are often issued visas and one-way flight tickets to Moscow, only to have their passports confiscated upon arrival under the pretext of documentation processing.
The report alleged that many of the recruits are later informed that no employment opportunities exist and that they lack valid immigration status or the financial means to return home.
“Deportation with debt, imprisonment, or signing a contract with the occupying army,” the agency stated while describing the options allegedly presented to the recruits.
The Ukrainian intelligence agency also claimed that no fewer than 215 Nigerians had signed contracts with the Russian Ministry of Defence, while about 25 were either killed or declared missing in action.
It referenced previous cases involving Nigerian nationals reportedly killed under similar circumstances, describing the trend as part of a growing pattern of foreign recruitment into the war.
The agency urged Nigerians to resist recruitment attempts and avoid involvement in what it described as an “illegal war”, while encouraging those approached by recruiters to report through designated support channels.
The Nigerian government has repeatedly warned citizens against participating in foreign conflicts, stressing that Nigeria is not a party to the Russia-Ukraine war and cautioning against the legal and security implications of such involvement.
The latest report is expected to heighten concerns over the alleged recruitment of African nationals into the conflict as the war between Russia and Ukraine continues with no immediate resolution in sight.
