RismadarVoice Reporters, July 2, 2026
Former Kaduna Central Senator, Shehu Sani, has advised Nigerians and other Africans against enlisting in the Russian military to fight in the ongoing war with Ukraine.
Sani gave the warning in a post on his X account on Thursday, urging Africans not to allow themselves to be recruited as mercenaries in the conflict.
He reminded Nigerians that both Russia and Ukraine were once part of the former Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR), which played a significant role in supporting African countries during their struggles for independence.
“It is a historical fact that Russia supported Africa during our independence struggle, but Ukraine was also part of that USSR. Don’t allow yourself to be mercenaries,” he wrote.
The former lawmaker stressed that Nigerians should avoid becoming involved in a foreign conflict that does not directly concern them.
The war between Russia and Ukraine dates back to 2014 when Russia annexed Crimea, triggering hostilities between the two countries. The conflict escalated into a full-scale invasion on February 24, 2022, when Russian forces launched a military offensive against Ukraine.
Since then, the war has claimed thousands of lives, displaced millions of people, and continued to attract international attention and foreign fighters from different parts of the world.
