Nigeria has issued a warning to its citizens regarding recruitment for foreign conflicts, specifically mentioning the alarming situation involving the Russian army. A report by the collective 'All Eyes on Wagner' revealed that at least 36 Nigerians have been recruited to fight in the Russia-Ukraine war, with five confirmed dead in combat. The Nigerian Ministry of Foreign Affairs noted that several victims were misled and coerced into signing military service contracts, which raises concerns about the ethical recruitment practices employed by foreign powers.

In addition to this, an investigation by AFP uncovered experiences of various Kenyans who found themselves in similar predicaments after being promised well-paying jobs in Russia by local agencies. These individuals were reportedly forced to sign contracts written in Cyrillic, a language they did not understand, before being sent to the battlefield in Ukraine. The narratives of these people highlight issues surrounding consent and the exploitation of vulnerable populations in the context of international conflicts.

The situation is exacerbated by the fact that global attention is often drawn to the involvement of particular nationalities in conflicts, with Nigerian citizens now becoming part of this narrative. South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has also addressed the matter, currently in discussions with Russian President Vladimir Putin regarding the return of South Africans who were similarly recruited to fight for Russian forces. Meanwhile, Uganda has reported similar cases, prompting regional scrutiny about foreign recruitment practices and potential violations of human rights.