A Nigerian citizen, Abubakar Adamu, has called on the Federal Government to urgently intervene in facilitating his return from Russia, alleging that he was tricked into joining the Russian army.
Adamu claimed he travelled to Moscow under the impression that he had secured a civilian security job, only to discover upon arrival that he had been enlisted into the Russian army.
Details of his ordeal were made public in a report by Zagazola Makama, which indicated that his legal representatives have formally petitioned Nigerian authorities, outlining circumstances they described as deceptive and coercive.
According to his lawyers, Adamu obtained a tourist visa issued on October 16, 2025, by the Russian Embassy in Abuja, after being promised employment as a sentry.
However, upon arrival in Moscow, his travel documents were allegedly confiscated. He was then compelled to sign enlistment documents written entirely in Russian, without the assistance of an interpreter.
His legal team said he only later realised that he had been drafted into the Russian army.
Adamu is reportedly being held at a Russian military camp after refusing deployment to combat zones in Ukraine. His lawyers expressed concerns over his safety and wellbeing, urging Nigerian authorities to act swiftly to secure his safe return.
The incident comes amid increasing allegations that foreign nationals are being lured to Russia with promises of civilian employment, only to be conscripted into military service.
On Thursday, Ukraine’s Defence Intelligence announced that the bodies of two Nigerians were recovered in the Luhansk region, allegedly while fighting on the Russian side of the conflict.
The deceased were identified as Hamzat Kazeem Kolawole, 42, and Mbah Stephen Udoka, 38, who reportedly died in November 2025, months after joining the Russian army.
A recent investigation further alleged that Africans from Ghana, Nigeria, Kenya and Uganda were recruited under the pretext of jobs as drivers or security guards, but were subsequently forced into military service with minimal training before being deployed to the frontlines.
Similarly, a CNN investigation revealed that some Africans were “lured to Russia under the guise of civilian job offers such as drivers or security guards,” but were later “forced into the military” and given “little training before being deployed in the frontline.”
Responding to the allegations earlier in the week, Andrey Podyelyshev, the Russian Ambassador to Nigeria, denied the existence of any state-backed recruitment scheme and distanced the Kremlin from the claims.
Adamu’s lawyers maintained that urgent diplomatic steps are required to ensure his safe evacuation from Russia.
