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Over 1,400 Africans Drawn Into Russia-Ukraine War, Hundreds Killed — Investigation Raises Alarm Across Continent

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Over 1,400 Africans Drawn Into Russia-Ukraine War, Hundreds Killed — Investigation Raises Alarm Across Continent

By: Michael Mike

A disturbing new investigation has uncovered that more than 1,400 African youths have been recruited to fight on the side of Russia in the ongoing Russia-Ukraine War, with over 300 reportedly killed — sparking outrage, concern, and renewed scrutiny of foreign engagement programmes targeting young Africans.

The report, released by INPACT, alleges that at least 1,417 young men and women from countries including Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, Uganda, and South Africa were enlisted between 2023 and 2025. Of that number, no fewer than 316 are believed to have died on the battlefield in Ukraine.

The findings challenge repeated denials from Russian officials, who have consistently rejected claims that African nationals are being recruited into the war effort.

In December 2025, Russian diplomat Natalia Krasovskaya assured the public during a press briefing in Accra that African students in Russia were safe and engaged only in legitimate academic pursuits. Similarly, Russia’s Ambassador to Nigeria, Andrey Podyelyshev, dismissed reports of Nigerian involvement in the conflict as “misleading” earlier this year.

However, testimonies from returnees, families, and independent observers now paint a sharply different picture — one of vulnerability, deception, and exploitation.

Recruitment Through Soft Power Channels

Central to the controversy are institutions commonly referred to as Russian Houses, which operate across Africa promoting language training, scholarships, and cultural exchange. While officially recognised as legitimate platforms for cooperation, the INPACT report raises concerns that some may have doubled as recruitment pipelines.

According to the investigation, unsuspecting youths — many seeking education, employment, or better opportunities abroad — may have been lured with promises of scholarships or jobs, only to find themselves funneled into military roles upon arrival in Russia or occupied territories.

In Ghana, the report links recruitment patterns to academic partnerships with institutions such as Novosibirsk State Technical University. It claims that 272 Ghanaians joined Russian forces, with at least 55 confirmed dead.

Similarly troubling patterns were observed in Kenya, where revised figures show fatalities rising from an initial estimate of 10 to at least 16.

A Pattern of Denial and Rising Concern

Despite mounting evidence, Russian authorities have continued to deny any state-backed recruitment of Africans into the war. Analysts argue that this disconnect between official statements and emerging data is fueling mistrust and anxiety across African nations.

Security experts warn that the situation reflects a broader geopolitical struggle, where global powers increasingly compete for influence in Africa — sometimes at the expense of vulnerable populations.

“This is no longer just about diplomacy or cultural exchange,” a regional analyst noted. “It raises serious ethical and security questions about how foreign engagements are conducted and who ultimately bears the risk.”

Families Demand Answers

For many families across the continent, the revelations are deeply personal. Reports of missing sons, unexplained travel arrangements, and deaths in distant conflict zones have left communities grappling with grief and confusion.

In Nigeria and beyond, calls are growing louder for governments to investigate recruitment networks, regulate foreign exchange programmes, and provide stronger protections for citizens seeking opportunities abroad.

Background: Africa and the Russia-Ukraine Conflict

Since the outbreak of the Russia-Ukraine War in February 2022, Africa has found itself in a delicate position. While most African countries have maintained neutral diplomatic stances, the war’s ripple effects have been deeply felt across the continent — from rising food and fuel prices to shifting alliances and increased foreign engagement.

Russia, in particular, has expanded its outreach in Africa through security partnerships, energy deals, and educational exchanges. Critics argue that these engagements, while beneficial on the surface, may also serve strategic interests tied to the war effort.

The latest findings now cast a shadow over some of those initiatives, raising urgent questions about transparency, accountability, and the true cost of global power struggles on African youth.

Calls for Transparency

As pressure mounts, observers insist that Russian diplomatic missions and affiliated organisations operating in Africa must provide clear, verifiable explanations.

For now, the report has ignited a continent-wide debate — not only about the fate of those already caught in the conflict, but about the safeguards needed to prevent further exploitation.

With hundreds reportedly dead and many more unaccounted for, the unfolding revelations mark a sobering chapter in Africa’s intersection with a distant war that is proving to be closer to home than many imagined.

Over 1,400 Africans Drawn Into Russia-Ukraine War, Hundreds Killed — Investigation Raises Alarm Across Continent

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Centre lauds Kaduna Govt over life skills, gender education policies approval

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Centre lauds Kaduna Govt over life skills, gender education policies approval

By Aisha Gambo

The Centre for Girls’ Education (CGE) has commended the Kaduna State Executive Council for approving the Kaduna State Life Skills Policy and the State Policy on Gender in Education (SPGE 2026–2030).

The Executive Director of the organisation, Habiba Mohammed, made this known in a statement issued on Wednesday in Kaduna.

She said the approval marked a transition from donor-supported, time-bound interventions to a sustainable, government-led framework for delivering life skills education and promoting gender equity in schools.

According to her, the Life Skills Policy will equip young people with the knowledge, skills, attitudes and values required to succeed in education, employment and life, while the Gender in Education Policy providzbves a framework to promote equity, inclusion, participation, retention, completion and improved learning outcomes.

“The approval moves life skills and gender equity from the margins of the classroom into the core of Kaduna State’s education system,” she said.

Mohammed said CGE contributed to the development and validation of the policies through its system-strengthening project supported by Co-Impact, OASIS Initiative and the Malala Fund, in collaboration with the Adolescent Girls Initiative for Learning and Empowerment (AGILE) and the Kaduna State Ministry of Education.

She said the policies built on more than 18 years of the organisation’s Safe Space model, which independent evaluations showed had helped reduce child marriage, increase school enrolment and delay early marriage.

According to her, the AGILE programme in Kaduna has reached more than 127,319 girls and 6,250 boys between the ages of 14 and 18, while over 1,400 female and male teachers have been trained as mentors.

She added that institutionalising the model through public policy would ensure that life skills education became a permanent component of the state’s education system.

Mohammed said the policies would address barriers to school access, retention and completion, particularly for girls and other vulnerable learners.

She added that they would also institutionalise life skills as a co-curricular programme, strengthen evidence-based decision-making across the state’s 23 local government areas and guarantee continuity beyond donor-funded programmes.

The executive director commended Gov. Uba Sani for providing the leadership that made the policy approval possible.

She also appreciated the Commissioner for Education, Prof. Abubakar Sani Sambo, the Kaduna State Ministry of Education, the AGILE State Project Implementation Unit, the World Bank and other stakeholders for their contributions to the process.

Mohammed reaffirmed CGE’s commitment to supporting the Kaduna State Government with technical assistance during the implementation phase, including teacher training, gender-responsive education sector budgeting and monitoring.

She said the ultimate goal was to ensure that every girl and boy in Kaduna State had the opportunity to learn, develop and thrive.

Centre lauds Kaduna Govt over life skills, gender education policies approval

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Troops Kill Six ISWAP Fighters, Wound Seven in Failed Attack on Borno Military Base

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Troops Kill Six ISWAP Fighters, Wound Seven in Failed Attack on Borno Military Base

By: Zagazola Makama

Six fighters of the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) were reportedly killed and seven others seriously wounded during a failed attack on a Forward Operating Base (FOB) at Logomani in Borno State, credible intelligence sources have disclosed.

The sources told Zagazola Makama that the terrorists launched the attack on the military position in the early hours of July 7 but suffered significant casualties after troops mounted a fierce resistance.

According to the intelligence assessment, the attackers had assembled at Garal before advancing on the military base.

Following the failed assault, surviving insurgents were reportedly seen regrouping at Chukun Gudu, where they buried six of their fighters killed during the encounter.

Among those reportedly buried was a senior fighter identified as Munzir, also known as Ba Alayi, who was said to be an indigene of Wulgo.

The development comes as troops of Operation HADIN KAI continue sustained clearance operations aimed at dismantling terrorist enclaves and disrupting insurgents’ logistics and mobility across the Lake Chad region.

Troops Kill Six ISWAP Fighters, Wound Seven in Failed Attack on Borno Military Base

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Cholera Outbreak Kills Nine ISWAP Terrorists in Timbuktu Triangle

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Cholera Outbreak Kills Nine ISWAP Terrorists in Timbuktu Triangle

By: Zagazola Makama

A cholera outbreak has reportedly claimed the lives of nine fighters of the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) in the Timbuktu Triangle, a known terrorist stronghold in Borno State, intelligence sources have disclosed.

The sources told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that the outbreak had spread through the group’s enclaves, highlighting deteriorating sanitary conditions and limited access to medical care within the insurgents’ camps.

According to the intelligence, two additional ISWAP fighters infected with the disease were allegedly executed by fellow terrorists after attempts to manage their condition at Kimba village proved unsuccessful.

The sources said the development pointed to the worsening health conditions within the terrorist hideouts, where sustained military pressure has disrupted logistics, including access to medicines and treatment facilities.

The sources added that commanders had also been urged to intensify efforts to intercept medical supplies and pharmaceuticals intended for terrorist camps in order to further degrade ISWAP’s treatment capability and operational resilience.

The reported outbreak comes amid sustained offensives by troops of Operation HADIN KAI, who continue to target terrorist enclaves and logistics networks across the Lake Chad region in a bid to degrade the insurgents’ fighting capacity.

Cholera Outbreak Kills Nine ISWAP Terrorists in Timbuktu Triangle

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