Nigerian Man Appeals for Repatriation After Alleged Forced Enlistment in Russian Military - Newstrends
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Nigerian Man Appeals for Repatriation After Alleged Forced Enlistment in Russian Military

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9 months ago

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Abubakar Adamu

Nigerian Man Appeals for Repatriation After Alleged Forced Enlistment in Russian Military

A Nigerian citizen, Abubakar Adamu, has appealed to the Federal Government of Nigeria for urgent repatriation after alleging that he was deceived into joining the Russian military following a trip to Moscow for what he believed was a civilian job opportunity.

According to his legal representatives, Adamu travelled to Russia on a tourist visa issued by the Russian Embassy in Abuja, after being promised employment as a civilian security guard. However, upon arrival in Moscow, his international passport and travel documents were allegedly confiscated, and he was reportedly compelled to sign enlistment documents written entirely in Russian without the assistance of an interpreter.

His lawyers stated that he later discovered the documents had effectively enrolled him into the Russian Armed Forces, despite having no intention of joining the military. In a formal petition submitted to Nigerian authorities, the legal team invoked the legal doctrine of Non Est Factum, arguing that Adamu did not understand the nature or implications of the contract he signed.

They further alleged fundamental misrepresentation, claiming he was misled into military service under false pretences. The petition also raised concerns about possible violations of international law, including forced conscription, coercion, and deprivation of personal liberty.

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Adamu is reportedly being held at a Russian military camp and has refused deployment to combat zones in Ukraine, where Russia has been engaged in ongoing military operations since 2022. His lawyers have demanded that Russian authorities immediately halt any deployment process, return his seized documents, and facilitate his safe return to Nigeria.

The case comes amid growing international reports that African nationals are being recruited into the Russian military under questionable circumstances. A previous investigative report by CNN revealed that citizens from Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, Uganda, South Africa, and other African countries were allegedly lured with promises of high salaries, signing bonuses, and pathways to Russian citizenship.

According to the investigation, many recruits were reportedly given minimal training and deployed to combat zones in Ukraine, with allegations of coercion, racial abuse, and inhumane treatment emerging from multiple testimonies.

Last year, Ukraine’s Foreign Minister, Andrii Sybiha, disclosed that more than 1,400 citizens from 36 African countries were fighting for Russia in Ukraine, with some reportedly captured as prisoners of war. Similarly, Kenya’s Ministry of Foreign and Diaspora Affairs confirmed that over 200 Kenyan nationals might have been drawn into the conflict through deceptive online recruitment schemes.

The precise number of Nigerians involved or killed in the conflict remains unclear, and Russian authorities have not officially confirmed casualties among foreign recruits.

Responding to earlier allegations, Russian Ambassador to Nigeria, Andrey Podyelyshev, denied that the recruitment of Nigerians into the war effort was state-sponsored. He stated at a press conference in Abuja that there is no official government programme to recruit Nigerians to fight in Ukraine, adding that any illegal actors involved would be operating independently of the Russian state.

As of the time of filing this report, Nigeria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has yet to issue a formal statement on Adamu’s case. However, civil society organisations and family members are urging swift diplomatic engagement to secure the release and repatriation of Nigerians allegedly trapped in the Russia–Ukraine conflict.

Adamu’s case has reignited concerns about the vulnerability of African job seekers to international recruitment scams, particularly in regions affected by armed conflict.

Nigerian Man Appeals for Repatriation After Alleged Forced Enlistment in Russian Military

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Tinubu Orders Release of 300 Containers of Electricity Equipment Trapped at Nigerian Ports

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59 minutes ago

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October 29, 2026

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President Bola Ahmed Tinubu

Tinubu Orders Release of 300 Containers of Electricity Equipment Trapped at Nigerian Ports

President Bola Tinubu has reportedly ordered the release of more than 300 containers of electricity equipment that have remained stranded at Nigerian ports, with some consignments said to have been held for as long as 20 years.

The equipment will undergo technical assessment to determine which items remain usable and can be deployed to support efforts to improve electricity supply across the country.

The development could provide an opportunity to recover valuable power-sector assets that have remained unused at the ports for years, although their actual contribution to electricity generation and distribution will depend on their condition, suitability and cost of rehabilitation.

The Federal Government is also pursuing plans to increase Nigeria’s electricity capacity to 19,000 megawatts (MW), as part of broader efforts to address the country’s persistent power challenges.

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However, the proposed assessment of the stranded equipment will be crucial in determining how much of it can be salvaged and whether it can be integrated into the country’s existing electricity infrastructure.

Nigeria has continued to face electricity supply challenges, including inadequate generation, transmission constraints, distribution difficulties and ageing infrastructure.

The release and possible deployment of the equipment could support ongoing interventions in the power sector if the items are found to be functional and suitable for use.

Further details are expected on the assessment process, the estimated value of the equipment and the timeline for deploying any recoverable items.

Tinubu Orders Release of 300 Containers of Electricity Equipment Trapped at Nigerian Ports

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Ijeh Barracks Mosque: Police Promise to Monitor Reconstruction as MURIC Urges Calm

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3 hours ago

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October 29, 2026

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Ijeh Barracks Mosque: Police Promise to Monitor Reconstruction as MURIC Urges Calm
MURIC Executive Director, Professor Ishaq Akintola

Ijeh Barracks Mosque: Police Promise to Monitor Reconstruction as MURIC Urges Calm

The Nigeria Police Force has assured the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) that its complaint over the demolition of the Ijeh Police Barracks Mosque in Obalende, Lagos State, is receiving attention, with the Lagos State Police Command’s Criminal Investigation Department (CID) promising to monitor the mosque’s reconstruction.

MURIC Executive Director, Professor Ishaq Akintola, disclosed this in an update issued on Thursday, October 29, 2026, following telephone calls from police officials in Abuja and Lagos.

According to Akintola, a senior Muslim police officer at the Police Headquarters in Abuja contacted him to confirm that the authorities were aware of MURIC’s complaint and its public outcry over the alleged refusal of the contractor handling the barracks project to rebuild the demolished mosque.

The officer reportedly assured him that the matter was receiving attention and that the mosque would not be abandoned.

Akintola said he received another call about five minutes later from officials of the Lagos State Police Command’s CID at Panti, who assured him that they would monitor the mosque’s reconstruction.

He declined to disclose the identity of the senior police officer who contacted him from Abuja, saying the officer’s identity should remain confidential.

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Following the communications, the MURIC director urged members and supporters of the organisation to remain peaceful and allow the police authorities to address the matter.

“Therefore, let us relax, remain calm and allow the police authorities to handle the issue,” Akintola said.

He described the calls from the police offices in Abuja and Lagos as signs that the authorities were sensitive to the concerns raised by the Muslim community.

“By contacting us from Police Headquarters, Abuja and also from Lagos Police Command, the Nigeria Police has displayed sensitivity, professionalism and accountability,” he said.

Akintola also thanked MURIC members and supporters for their solidarity during the controversy and urged them to exercise patience while awaiting further action.

The organisation’s complaint followed the demolition of the Ijeh Police Barracks Mosque in Obalende and concerns over the alleged failure of the contractor handling the barracks project to rebuild the facility. MURIC has called for fair treatment of Muslim worshippers and the restoration of the mosque.

However, the police assurances, as relayed by Akintola, do not establish that reconstruction has commenced or that a completion date has been agreed upon. No specific timeline for the rebuilding was announced in MURIC’s update.

The immediate issue is therefore whether the relevant authorities will take concrete steps to ensure that the demolished mosque is rebuilt.

For now, MURIC says it will allow the police to handle the complaint while urging its members to remain calm and peaceful as they await further developments.

Ijeh Barracks Mosque: Police Promise to Monitor Reconstruction as MURIC Urges Calm

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Cocaine Trafficking: Court Denies KC Luxury Bail Over Missing Medical Certificate

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20 hours ago

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October 28, 2026

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Cocaine Trafficking: Court Denies KC Luxury Bail Over Missing Medical Certificate
Social Media Influencer Afolabi Kazeem Michael, popularly known as KC Luxury
Cocaine Trafficking: Court Denies KC Luxury Bail Over Missing Medical Certificate

The Federal High Court in Lagos has rejected the bail application of Nigerian businessman and social media influencer Afolabi Kazeem Michael, popularly known as KC Luxury, over alleged cocaine trafficking and money laundering, ruling that the defence failed to provide sufficient medical evidence to justify his release.

Justice Musa Kakaki delivered the ruling on Wednesday, October 28, 2026, holding that the application lacked the necessary medical certificate to establish special circumstances warranting bail on health grounds.

“There is no medical certificate to warrant the court to grant him bail,” the judge said.

He added that a defendant claiming to require special medical attention should provide an expert assessment explaining the condition and the need for the requested treatment.

KC Luxury’s lawyer, Emefo Etudo, had asked the court to release his client so he could receive specialised treatment at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH). The defence argued that his health had deteriorated and that he required medical attention beyond what was available at the facility where he was being held.

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The application followed concerns about the defendant’s health after he was brought to the court premises in an ambulance on October 23 while receiving oxygen.

During that proceeding, a nurse attached to the Police Hospital in Falomo, Lagos, told the court that KC Luxury had been admitted on October 7 and diagnosed with asthma and sepsis.

The nurse said the defendant remained inside the ambulance because he was receiving oxygen and could not safely be moved into the courtroom.

The defence also alleged that KC Luxury had suffered a collapsed lung and needed specialist care. However, the prosecution opposed the bail request, arguing that the medical evidence did not establish that his condition could not be managed while in custody.

In his ruling, Justice Kakaki reviewed the medical exhibits submitted by the defence but held that they did not sufficiently establish the special circumstances required to grant bail.

The judge also noted that the defence had failed to demonstrate a material change in circumstances that would justify reconsidering the application.

He questioned the argument that KC Luxury needed treatment at LUTH without sufficient evidence showing that the hospital or other available medical facilities could not adequately manage his condition.

Despite refusing bail, the court directed officials of the Ikoyi Custodial Centre to ensure that the defendant had unrestricted access to doctors and medical specialists for examination and treatment.

The judge also ordered an accelerated hearing of the case and adjourned proceedings until November 2, 2026, for the commencement of trial.

KC Luxury is standing trial alongside Boniface Freeman Ochoche Sule and Ikechukwu Ekugo Patriarch on a 22-count charge filed by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).

The charges include allegations of conspiring to export 184.5 kilogrammes of cocaine to the United Kingdom and money laundering. The defendants have pleaded not guilty.

According to the NDLEA, the cocaine was intercepted at a courier facility in Lagos before it could be exported. The agency also accused the defendants of involvement in financial transactions and asset acquisitions allegedly connected to the suspected drug operation.

The defendants have yet to be convicted, and the allegations remain before the court.

The latest ruling means KC Luxury will remain in custody while the criminal proceedings continue, with the court directing that his medical needs be addressed during detention.

Cocaine Trafficking: Court Denies KC Luxury Bail Over Missing Medical Certificate

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