A Nigerian man, Balogun Adisa Ridwan, earlier reported to have died in the ongoing war in Ukraine has been found alive, after being captured by Ukrainian soldiers.
Ridwan was listed among Nigerians allegedly killed in the
conflict, having travelled to Russia in search of employment.
His name circulated in media reports in February, with
claims that he and three others, namely Adam Anas, Akinlawon Tunde Kuyum, and
Abugu Stanley Onyeka, had died after being recruited under false pretenses and
sent to the battlefield.
However, he had been taken prisoner by Ukrainian forces near
the city of Lyman in the Donetsk region on January 13, 2026, after surrendering
at the front lines.
From captivity, he would later learn that he had already
been declared dead back home in Nigeria.
According to his account, he was promised employment but
later found himself at a military base where he signed documents he could not
understand due to language barriers.
“The day we were signing the contract, I didn’t understand
the language,” Balogun says. “They didn’t allow us to use our phones to
translate, so we signed our contracts. I told them already about my job. Maybe
they were going to put me in my field. I didn’t know they would use me.”
Faced with combat, Balogun said he and another foreign
recruit made the decision to surrender immediately upon encountering Ukrainian
troops.
“I was lucky to be captured by the Ukrainians. They are good
people,” Balogun said.
He described his treatment in custody as humane, stating
that Ukrainian soldiers did not harm him and instead provided clothing, warm
shelter, and food. According to him, the capture ultimately saved his life.
Now confirmed alive, Balogun is seeking permission to return
to Nigeria.
He insists he travelled abroad strictly in search of
civilian employment and was misled into military service.
“I travelled to Russia on a tourist visa to find a job,”
says Balogun. “The government of Russia grossly fooled me, turned me into a
soldier, and sent me to war in Ukraine.”
“I appeal to my government, to my president, Bola Ahmed
Tinubu. Forgive your son. I left home to feed my family. It did not work out
the way I wanted. I went to have a job as a mechanic or engineer. The Russian
government totally fooled me,” he said.
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