Nigeria Citizen force to sign Military contracts in Russian without Translator and sent to frozen trench near lyman declare death.
A Nigeria Man identify as Engineer Balogun Adisa Ridwan had early declear dead in Russian- Ukraine war after travel to Russia for work to find greener pastures.
Balogun Adisa Ridwan is a 32-year-old Nigerian man earlier reported dead in the ongoing war in Ukraine has been found alive, after being captured by Ukrainian troops in January.
Balogun who had travelled to Russia in search of employment, was listed among Nigerians allegedly killed in the conflict.
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.
But Balogun is not dead, according to a report by United24Media.
Instead, 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.
Balogun had travelled to Russia on a tourist visa, hoping to secure work as an engineer. 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.
Without access to a translator or his phone, which he said was confiscated, he became part of a group of foreign recruits deployed to the war front after only weeks of training.
Faced with combat, Balogun said he and another foreign recruit made the decision to surrender immediately upon encountering Ukrainian troops.
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.
While he remained in captivity, news of his supposed death spread in Nigeria. Reports claimed that information about the deaths of foreign recruits had emerged from a secret WhatsApp group allegedly created by African fighters involved in the war. His inclusion on the list left family and friends believing he had been killed in action.
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.
His case highlights growing concerns over the recruitment of foreign nationals under unclear circumstances amid the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine.