A Nigerian national, Balogun Ridwan, has been captured by Ukrainian forces for allegedly fighting for Russia in the ongoing war in Ukraine. Ridwan claims he was lured to Russia with a promise of an engineering job but was forced to sign a contract with the Russian army upon arrival. The contract was in Russian, a language he didn’t understand, and he was given only a few weeks of training before being deployed to the frontline.
Ridwan’s story is not isolated. Several Nigerians have reportedly been deceived into joining the Russian military, with some losing their lives in the conflict. The Nigerian government has expressed concern over the rising cases of citizens being recruited into foreign armed conflicts, often under false pretenses.
“I travelled to Russia on a tourist visa to find a job. The government of Russia grossly fooled me, turned me into a soldier, and sent me to war in Ukraine,” Ridwan said in an appeal for help to return to Nigeria.
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