Headline

African Fighters In Ukraine War Contradicts Russian Claim

Published

7 months ago

March 11, 2026

Editor

Reading from a prepared text at a press conference held in Abuja on February 10, Andrey Podyelyshev, the Russian ambassador to Nigeria, denied that the Russian government is recruiting Nigerians to fight in its war against Ukraine.

“There is no government-supported program to recruit Nigerians to fight in Ukraine,” he told journalists at the press briefing.

The Guardian conducted an investigation into the claim and discovered that the ambassador had manipulated the facts.

Victim testimonies, diplomatic reports, and government warnings show that the Russian Federation has indeed shown a consistent recruitment pattern in its army. The Russians secretly hired several Africans, including Nigerians, into the national army to fight in Ukraine.

Take Adamu Abubakar’s story as a case study. A former formal officer with the Nigerian Navy and native of Kano, Abubakar applied for a 90-day tourist visa, which was to allow him to stay between October 20, 2025, and January 17, 2026.

According to his lawyer, Abu Suleiman, the travel agent who facilitated his journey, deceived him into believing he was getting a private civilian security job in Russia that would pay a monthly salary of $2000.

Upon reaching his destination, he was forced to sign a contract written in Russian and was conscripted into the Russian army. Afterwards, he and his travel mates were taken to the military camp, where they underwent 3 weeks of training before being sent to the front line of the battle.

When he realised his employer’s ploy to use them as cannon fodder in a war they knew nothing about, Abubakar declined, knowing that he had been misled into a dangerous situation that jeopardised his life and safety.

His wife, Hadiza Abubakar, narrated her husband’s ordeal to The Guardian. The travel agent, Emiola Muhammad, who helped him from Nigeria, promised he would get a civilian security guard job in Russia that would pay well.

“I even encouraged him to go, knowing that he needed a better-paying job after he resigned from the Nigerian navy,” Hadiza said. Abubakar is the breadwinner of his extended family, comprising his two wives, two daughters, sisters, and a blind father. His mother died many years ago.

Therefore, in November 2025, Abubakar and three others travelled to Russia. His traveling mates were Akinlawon Tunde Quyuum, Abugu Stanley Onyeka, and Adam Anas.

Since the first day of his arrival in Moscow, he regretted his decision because he was told they were converting their job to military service, his wife said.

She said her husband was the only Nigerian draftee who refused to leave the training camp and go to the battlefront, and the rest who did have died.

Another family of a victim, Ifeoluwa, identified as MiniNest by Pearl on Instagram, accused Felicia Traveling Agency of recruiting her cousin into the Russian army under the guise of helping him obtain work visas. Ifeoluwa claims that her cousin, who enlisted in the Russian army in November 2025, has now passed away.

The Guardian called Ms. Felicia Samuel, owner of the Felicia Travel Agency, to understand how the agency processes Russian visas for applicants, but her phone line was not connecting at the time of this report. She also did not respond to messages sent to her on WhatsApp. Her Instagram page is locked, so visitors cannot send a direct message.

CNN has interviewed other African recruits who signed military service contracts in Russian without the assistance of lawyers or translation. Some had their passports confiscated, effectively making it impossible to flee, CNN reported.

According to the French Institute of International Relations, at least 3000 Africans are among the foreign fighters serving in the Russian army. The number might increase as recruitment agents continue to advertise job opportunities in Russia through multiple social media platforms.

A recruiter named Boris is reportedly trolling people on Telegram and WhatsApp and persuading them to apply for government jobs or recommend interested applicants.

Multiple African governments have confirmed the recruitment or deaths of their citizens during the Russian-Ukrainian war.

In a statement, Ukraine said its military intelligence operatives confirmed the death of two Nigerians fighting on the Russian side. They are Hamzat Kazeen Kolawole, 42, and Mbah Stephen Udoka, 38.

The deceased reportedly served in the 423rd Guards Motor Rifle Regiment of the armed forces of the Russian Federation, according to an AP report.

The Nigerian government has not confirmed the death yet.

Notwithstanding, the Nigeria Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ spokesperson, Kimiebi Imomotimi Ebien, said the Nigerian missions in Moscow and Kyiv have received reports that both Russia and Ukraine have been using private recruitment agencies to bring Nigerians and other Africans to Russia and Ukraine for the purpose of fighting in their war. He said the investigation is underway to identify the local recruiting agencies responsible for the illicit recruitment.

A new Kenyan intelligence report states that 1,000 Kenyans were recruited to fight for Russia in Ukraine after being misled by false promises of jobs and then sent to the front lines. Parliamentary leader Kimani Ichung’wah presented the report to parliament on February 18. He accused Russian embassy officials of collaborating with work recruitment agencies to deceive Kenyans into thinking they would receive skilled jobs in Russia. He said the Russian embassy officials issued them tourist visas.

The Ghanaian government has also expressed concern over the recruitment of citizens to fight for Russia, often with promises of jobs or training abroad. Foreign Affairs Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa reported that since 2022, Russia has drawn 272 Ghanaians into the war, resulting in at least 55 Ghanaians’ deaths.

Diplomatic and intelligence reports indeed indicate the practice is widespread across Africa.

European Union (AU) ambassador to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Gautier Mignot, confirmed that Russia has been recruiting Nigerians and other Africans in its war against Ukraine for quite some time.

He said, “It’s cruel to send people who have nothing to do with the war to die.”

The Guardian reached out to the Russian embassy again to present new evidence of Nigerian recruitment into the Russian army. The spokesperson for the Russian embassy in Nigeria, Daria, responded that the embassy has commented on the topic several times and referred the reporter to review the previous statement.

The statement reads in part: “We reaffirm that the Russian Federation operates no official or state-run programme aimed at recruiting citizens of Nigeria. The Embassy possesses no information about the existence of any fraudulent schemes or criminal networks that lure Nigerian nationals into combat roles.”

It insisted that “The Russian Embassy in Abuja did not issue visas to the individuals named Balogun Adisa Ridwan and Abubakar Adamu.”

Andrey Podyelyshev, the Russian ambassador to Nigeria

However, Abubakar’s lawyer was not convinced by the ambassador’s words.

“How did Abubakar obtain the visa? How did he end up in the Russian uniform? Who pays his salary as a Russian soldier?” Barrister Suleiman asked.

Combat uniforms similar to the Russians’

In August 2025, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a new decree that all clothing and gear for the Russian Armed Forces must be produced by Russian companies with manufacturing facilities within the country. The decree requires Russian soldiers to wear only military gear made in Russia or authorized by the government.

Using ChatGPT, WikiTimes carried out a forensic check of the uniform worn by Africans identified as fighting in Russia and found that it was similar to those authorized for Russian soldiers.

The uniform indeed contains several elements consistent with gear used by Russian soldiers, particularly the digital camouflage pattern, helmet style, and MOLLE body armor.

The uniform appears to use a green-brown pixelated camouflage pattern that resembles EMR “Digital Flora,” the standard camouflage used by the Russian military. The pattern is common in Russian field jackets and cold-weather gear.

The helmet has a rounded composite design with a camouflage cover that resembles the 6B47 ballistic helmet, commonly issued to Russian soldiers.

In many of the photographs seen, the soldiers appear to be wearing a plate carrier/body armor vest with MOLLE webbing, which is a system of modular lightweight load-carrying equipment that allows for the attachment of various pouches and accessories.

Russian troops frequently use body armor such as the 6B45 vest, which has similar horizontal webbing rows for attaching equipment.

The high insulated neck guard or balaclava-style covering is typical of Russian cold-weather combat gear. Russian troops operating in Ukraine often wear winter VKBO/VKPO layered uniforms.

The helmet cover, jacket, and combat gear share similar camouflage tones, which is consistent with standardized military kits rather than mixed civilian gear.

In addition, the background of the photo taken by Abubakar shows military camouflage netting, commonly used at field positions or training grounds.

Meanwhile, reports indicate that some African countries are already rescuing their citizens from Russia, with South Africa organizing evacuation efforts for its nationals amidst the ongoing conflict. Last month South Africa secured the return of 11 men lured into the Russia-Ukraine war; four had returned earlier.

Three people, including Duduzile Zuma-Sambudla, the daughter of the former South African president Jacob Zuma, are being investigated in connection with the 17 men recruited into the Russian army.

The Guardian interviewed the Nigerians in the Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM) about the effort Nigeria is making to secure the return of Nigerians lured to fight in Russia. NiDCOM spokesperson Abdul Rahman Balogun declined to comment. He asked the reporter to speak to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs instead.

Meanwhile, a source within the Commission told The Guardian that the Nigerian government does not have resources to keep rescuing people who are stranded abroad, which raises concerns about the government’s ability to assist citizens in distress and the potential consequences for those in vulnerable situations, such as increased risks of exploitation or worsening mental health issues for individuals like Hadiza’s husband.

“NiDCOM does not have a huge budget to rescue every Nigerian in distress abroad. So people need to be careful about their traveling decisions,” the NiDCOM official said.

MoF Spokesperson Ebien said Nigeria is investigating the matter and compiling the list of Nigerians in Russia. He asked the family to report to the ministry so the federal government can engage Russia.

He also warned Nigerian citizens of patronizing traveling agencies that promote jobs in war zones, as these opportunities can expose them to dangerous situations and legal complications in foreign countries.

“If you have any offers going to Eastern Europe for now, either for scholarship or job offers, double-check with the ministry of foreign affairs so that we can cross-check with our embassy in both Ukraine and Russia to avoid being lured outside the country and finding yourself in a difficult situation,” Ebien said.

However, Abubakar’s lawyer said he had contacted the Ministry of Foreign Affairs as far back as January but had yet to receive a response.

As the bureaucratic process drags on, Abubakar’s wife, Hadiza, says the uncertainty has taken a heavy emotional toll on the family. She has only one appeal to both the Nigerian and Russian governments: “Please help bring my husband home. He is terribly depressed and needs support during this difficult time.”

Headline

Four Nations Back Permanent African Seat On UN Security Council

Published

40 minutes ago

September 25, 2026

Editor

Four nations, Brazil, Germany, India and Japan, have backed a permanent African seat on the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), calling for urgent reform of the Council to reflect contemporary geopolitical realities.

The four countries, under the Group of Four (G4), made their position known in a joint statement issued after their foreign ministers met in New York on Tuesday on the margins of the 81st session of the UN General Assembly.

The ministers said reform of the Security Council had become more necessary than ever, given the increasingly challenging global geopolitical environment.

They said the Council was currently unable to effectively discharge its core responsibility of maintaining international peace and security, with its representativeness, legitimacy, credibility and efficacy in question.

According to them, the Council’s eight-decade-old structure was “not reflective of contemporary geopolitical realities” and had become an impediment to addressing present and future challenges to international peace and security.

The ministers stressed that expansion of the Security Council in both the permanent and non-permanent categories was central to meaningful reform.

They called for greater representation of under-represented and unrepresented regions and groups, particularly Africa, Asia-Pacific, and Latin America and the Caribbean.

The four nations also welcomed the reform model presented by the African Group during the Inter-governmental Negotiations (IGN) on Security Council reform in the 80th session of the General Assembly.

They reaffirmed their support for Africa’s case for enhanced representation on the Security Council, including in the permanent category.

The ministers, however, expressed concern over the slow pace of negotiations, noting that the IGN process had produced no concrete outcome towards substantive Security Council reform despite 18 years of discussions.

They also expressed reservations over the presentation of what they described as a “bridging proposal” before the commencement of text-based negotiations.

According to them, the proposal failed to take into account the position of a clear majority of UN member states in favour of expansion in both permanent and non-permanent categories.

The ministers further maintained that consensus should not be the benchmark for decision-making on Security Council reform, citing the UN Charter and the mandate of the IGN.

They said Brazil, Germany, India and Japan would work with other reform-oriented groups to develop a consolidated model that reflects the views of the majority of UN member states.

The four countries said commencing text-based negotiations should be treated as a priority towards achieving substantive reform of the Security Council.

They said this would help restore the Council’s representativeness, legitimacy, credibility and effectiveness, while strengthening the multilateral system with the UN at its centre.

The ministers also said discussions on reform should not be restricted to the IGN, expressing willingness to engage the wider UN membership through other platforms, including the General Assembly.

They pledged to continue coordinating closely during the 81st session of the General Assembly and directed their officials to follow up on the discussions.

Progress on the issue is expected to be reviewed at the next Director General-level meeting in New Delhi.

Headline

Moving Abroad? Essential Things Nigerians Should Pack Before Leaving Nigeria

Published

2 days ago

September 22, 2026

Editor

Moving abroad from Nigeria is one of those life changes that makes a suitcase suddenly feel much smaller.

What looks like enough luggage in your bedroom can seem painfully limited once you start choosing between clothes, documents, electronics, personal care items and the small things that make an unfamiliar place feel like home.

That is why a good diaspora relocation packing list guide should not be about squeezing everything possible into your bags. It should help you decide what deserves precious luggage space, what can be bought after arrival and what should never go into your suitcase in the first place.

The distinction matters because airlines have strict baggage limits, while destination countries have their own customs rules.

Baggage allowances vary by airline, route, cabin class and aircraft, while individual checked bags are generally recommended not to exceed 23kg for handling reasons. Power banks and spare lithium batteries, for example, must generally remain in carry-on baggage rather than checked luggage.

Start with documents, not clothes

Before thinking about clothing or food, create a secure travel folder for the documents you cannot afford to lose. Your passport, visa or residence documentation, flight information, accommodation details, employment or school documents, insurance information and important contact details should stay accessible throughout the journey.

Carry originals where necessary and keep encrypted digital copies or secure backups of important documents. If you are relocating with children, their birth certificates, school records, vaccination documentation and immigration papers may also be important depending on the destination and circumstances.

Do not put irreplaceable documents in checked luggage. A suitcase can be delayed, misrouted or damaged, but losing access to your passport or immigration paperwork at the same time can turn a manageable travel problem into a serious one.

Pack for your first two weeks, not your entire future

One of the easiest ways to overpack is to imagine every possible situation you might encounter after moving. Resist that temptation. Your first luggage should support your transition, not reproduce your entire Nigerian household overseas.

Pack enough everyday clothes for your initial period, but consider the climate of your destination before filling a suitcase with Nigerian weather essentials. A person moving to the UK in winter, for instance, needs a very different wardrobe from someone moving to a warmer country.

The better strategy is to prioritize versatile clothing that can be layered and reused. Comfortable shoes, underwear, sleepwear, basic toiletries and weather-appropriate outerwear deserve more attention than multiple outfits you may rarely wear.

This also reflects advice commonly shared in relocation communities: keep an “open first” collection of essentials so you are not searching through every box or suitcase when you are exhausted after arrival. The practical principle is simple, make your first few days easy before worrying about everything else.

Take the Nigerian items that are genuinely difficult to replace

Food is where relocation packing becomes particularly personal. Nigerians living abroad frequently mention missing familiar foods and ingredients, especially regional items that may be difficult to find or expensive in ordinary supermarkets.

Discussions among Nigerians abroad show that the issue is not necessarily basic rice, pasta or common spices; it is often the distinctive ingredients and flavors associated with home.

That does not mean you should fill an entire suitcase with food.

Instead, prioritise small quantities of dry, commercially packaged items that are legal to import into your destination and that you genuinely use. Depending on the destination, these could include permitted spice blends, seasoning, certain dried ingredients or packaged Nigerian foods.

However, never assume that because something is dry, packaged or commonly carried by other Nigerians, it is automatically permitted. Import rules differ significantly between countries.

For Great Britain, for example, travelers can bring some packaged foods such as biscuits, chocolate, pasta and packaged soup, while meat, dairy, fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds can be subject to restrictions.

The EU is stricter in several respects. Travelers arriving from outside the EU generally cannot bring meat or dairy products into the bloc, although specific exemptions apply to certain products and circumstances.

So if you are relocating from Nigeria to London, Paris, Amsterdam or another destination, check the destination’s official customs rules before sealing that bag of food.

Do not sacrifice luggage space for easily replaceable goods

A relocation suitcase should contain things that solve a problem, preserve something important or save you meaningful money—not everything you happen to own.

Basic toiletries, ordinary kitchen utensils, cheap hangers, bulky bedding and generic household products can often be purchased after arrival. Carrying large quantities simply because they are cheaper in Nigeria may not make economic sense once excess-baggage charges and limited suitcase space are considered.

The same applies to appliances. Check the electrical system and plug standard of your destination before taking Nigerian appliances abroad. A device that is cheap to replace may not be worth carrying if it is incompatible with the local voltage or requires additional equipment.

Ask yourself a blunt question before packing anything: Would I still pay to transport this if I had to buy extra luggage for it? If the answer is no, leave it behind.

Give electronics and valuables special treatment

Your laptop, phone, chargers, external drives, camera equipment and other essential electronics should be packed with both security and airline rules in mind.

Keep valuable electronics in your carry-on whenever the airline permits it. IATA specifically advises passengers not to place valuable or irreplaceable items in checked baggage, while spare batteries and power banks have specific restrictions because of fire risk.

Keep chargers organized in a small pouch rather than scattering them throughout your luggage. If you use several devices, label unfamiliar cables before leaving Nigeria; it sounds trivial until you are sitting in temporary accommodation with three identical USB cables and no idea which one powers your laptop.

Think about health and personal-care essentials

Your relocation luggage should also cover the personal items that may be inconvenient to replace immediately. Prescription medicines, if applicable, should remain in their original packaging and be accompanied by the documentation required by the destination country.

Basic toiletries and personal-care products that you know work for you can be worth carrying in reasonable quantities, particularly during the first few weeks when you are still learning where to shop.

Do not, however, turn your suitcase into a pharmacy. Check the rules of the destination country for medicines and controlled substances before traveling, because something legally purchased in Nigeria may have different restrictions elsewhere.

Leave prohibited and questionable items behind

Some of the worst relocation-packing decisions are made with the assumption that customs officers will not notice.

That is a dangerous gamble. The UK, for example, prohibits or restricts items including controlled drugs, offensive weapons, certain endangered species and personal imports of meat and dairy products from most non-EU countries.

Food restrictions also deserve serious attention. If you arrive in Great Britain with banned food and declare it, the Border Force can confiscate and destroy it; failing to declare prohibited products can result in penalties or prosecution.

When in doubt, check the official customs guidance for your destination before packing. If an item requires a permit, certificate or declaration, find that out before you arrive at the airport, not while standing in front of a customs officer.

Build one ‘first-night’ bag

Finally, separate the things you will need immediately from everything else.

Your first-night bag should contain a change of clothes, basic toiletries, essential documents, medications, chargers, important electronics and anything else you would need if your checked luggage were delayed. This simple step can save you considerable stress during the first 24 hours.

Your relocation luggage should make your new beginning easier, not burden you with your old life. Pack the things that are valuable, difficult to replace, culturally meaningful or immediately useful. Leave behind what is cheap, bulky and readily available.

Most importantly, remember that your airline’s baggage allowance and your destination country’s customs rules are separate issues. Staying within the weight limit does not mean every item inside the suitcase is legally admissible.

IATA emphasises that baggage conditions remain airline-specific, while governments set their own customs and import requirements.

For Nigerians relocating abroad, the smartest suitcase is therefore not necessarily the heaviest one. It is the one that contains exactly what you will need to begin your new life with less stress, fewer unnecessary expenses and no avoidable customs problems.
(TRIBUNE)

Headline

Why I Forgave Lindsay Clancy For Killing Our Children — Ex-husband Patrick

Published

2 days ago

September 22, 2026

Editor

Patrick Clancy, the ex-husband of Lindsay Clancy, has spoken about his decision to forgive her for the deaths of their three children, saying he feared he would be “eaten up inside forever” if he could not reach a point of forgiveness.

In a new interview with CBS, Patrick said he believed he had done the best he could while his then-wife struggled with mental illness.

“I didn’t know how to manage a [postpartum illness]. I think mental illness has this ability to be tragically deceptive,” he said.

“When it comes to forgiveness, I also felt that if I didn’t get there, I would be eaten up inside forever,” he added.

Lindsay Clancy, a former labour and delivery nurse, was accused of killing the couple’s three children — Cora, five, Dawson, three, and Callan, eight months — in January 2023.

She attended her trial in a wheelchair after suffering permanent paralysis in the aftermath of the incident.

Patrick testified during the trial about his former wife’s mental health struggles following childbirth.

Clancy has never denied killing the children, while her defence argued that she was suffering from postpartum psychosis at the time and was not criminally responsible for her actions.

The case ended in a mistrial after one juror refused to find Clancy not criminally responsible.

Judge William Sullivan, who presided over the trial, has since sealed the jurors’ identities, citing a “real and present” risk of harm.

The prosecution had alleged that Clancy sent Patrick on an errand before the incident, deliberately removing him from the home.

Patrick became a focus of the trial during its seventh week, when he faced allegations that he was partly responsible for the deaths of the children.

“I think I did the best I could with what I had at the time.” Patrick said. “And I live with the outcome. I live with it every day.”

Speaking about the claims and speculation surrounding him, Patrick said they were “deeply harmful to the legacy of my children” and a “huge distraction from what really matters here, which is perinatal [mental health].”

Patrick has since moved to New York City with his new wife, Rachel Danis, where they hope to find some anonymity and normality.

He said he looks forward to starting a family with his new partner and telling his future children about their siblings.

The case remains unresolved and is scheduled to return to court on September 29 at Plymouth Superior Court in Massachusetts.

(Metro UK)