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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