Ukrainian authorities have announced the death of another Nigerian national, identified as Ayebusiwa Victor, who was reportedly fighting on the side of Russian forces in the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict.
The disclosure was made on Thursday in statements issued by the Ukrainian National News Agency, Ukrinform, and Ukraine’s Main Intelligence Directorate.
Victor, said to be an indigene of Ilutitun in Ondo State, was born on April 28, 1992.
According to the Ukrainian intelligence agency, the Nigerian died during combat operations in the Kharkiv region near the settlement of Hrafske.
The report alleged that Victor entered into a mercenary agreement with Russian forces in late February 2026, barely a week after Nigeria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs cautioned citizens against illegal recruitment into foreign wars.
Ukrainian authorities claimed that several foreign nationals had been enticed with promises of lucrative jobs and financial rewards before being sent 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 read.
The agency further alleged that recruiters target Africans through social media platforms, including Facebook and WhatsApp.
According to the report, recruits are allegedly provided visas and one-way flight tickets to Russia, only to have their passports confiscated on arrival under the pretext of processing immigration documents.
The agency claimed the recruits are then informed that no employment exists, their visas are invalid, and they have no means of returning home.
“Deportation with debt, imprisonment, or signing a contract with the occupying army,” the agency said, describing the alleged options available to the recruits.
The report added that no fewer than 215 Nigerians were said to have signed contracts with the Russian Ministry of Defence, while about 25 have reportedly been killed or declared missing in action.
It also referred to previous cases involving Nigerian nationals allegedly killed under similar circumstances, describing it as part of a growing trend of foreign recruitment into the conflict.
Ukraine’s intelligence agency urged Nigerians to reject recruitment overtures and avoid involvement in what it described as an “illegal war.” It also encouraged individuals approached by recruiters to report through official support channels.
The Nigerian government has repeatedly warned citizens against participating in foreign armed conflicts, stressing that the country is not involved in the Russia-Ukraine war and cautioning against the legal and security implications.
The latest development has heightened concerns over reports of African nationals being recruited into the conflict as fighting between Russia and Ukraine continues.
