By Pascal Ibe
One year has passed, and a gradual silence is fast returning to Nigeria’s South-east states since the major Biafran agitators, Nnamdi Kanu, the leader of the outlawed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and a leader of an autopilot faction of the group, Simon Ekpa, were convicted.
Kanu was sentenced to life imprisonment, while Ekpa was initially sentenced to six years but was later reduced to four years’ imprisonment in Finland—for their involvement in terrorist activities which held the region to a standstill in the last six years.
However, for Okechukwu Obiorah, a Russian fighter, this is an opportunity to position himself as a new hero in the Biafran struggle.
Obiorah’s emergence came at a time when Russian influence operations in Nigeria and Africa were at their peak. In the last couple of years, there has been evidence of Russian-sponsored propaganda and manipulation of information in many countries.
Russia always does this through covert means, by coordinating and organising social media influencers in Africa to run campaigns which depict Western countries as bad people regarding their alleged modern-day exploitation of resources in African countries.
These influencers capitalised on the poor governance in many African countries like Nigeria and the Sahel, which culminated in economic hardship for citizens and insecurity, to make people from these poor nations believe that Russia is the only saviour they need at this point.
Connecting the dots, the Igbos and victim mentality
Over the years, there is a claim that the Igbos in Nigeria’s South-east and some parts of the South-south are marginalised, excluded from the vital positions in Nigeria’s national polity and appointments.
There are also claims that there is a collective hatred by other major ethnic groups (Hausa, Fulani and the Yoruba) against the Igbos. Therefore, the only way out is secession, which is Biafra sovereignty.
Immediately, Obiorah’got to Russia in 2025; he read and knew that many South-east residents have the mindset of “who is going to liberate us from Nigeria and give us Biafra?”; he therefore capitalised on this.
It is believed in the South-east that the Western countries, including the United States, are benefiting from Nigerian resources, hence the reason for their alleged refusal to support Biafran agitation over the years. Some agitators now see Russia as their new bride and saviour.
IPOB, led by Kanu since 2014, has been seeking the breakaway of the five states in Nigeria’s South-east and some part of South-south from Nigeria and to form a sovereign state of Biafra.
Who is Obiorah Okechukwu?
“Russia is the best, Russia is the world power, no one comes close to us, we stand with Russia and we fight for Russia till the end”, these were the words always said to his followers by Okechukwu Obiorah, a former Nigerian soldier who joined the Nigerian Army in June 2015 but quit in May 2023 as a lance corporal and then joined the Russian army in 2025.
FACTWATCH Nigeria wanted to authenticate the number of years Obiorah actually served in the Nigerian Army so we called its spokesperson, Appolonia Anele, a colonel, on the phone several times, but the calls were not answered by her.
Checks on his old Facebook page, Spokey Obiorah, show that he worked as a Nigerian soldier before resurfacing online as a rifleman in Russia’s Fourth Air Army, with a Russian military dog tag (issued by the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, reading ВС РОССИИ) inscribed with an individual identification number (АБ-988359).
Obiorah was born on 5 May 1994. He is from Umudim in Nnewi North Local Government Area of Anambra State, Southeastern Nigeria.
Shortly after joining in 2025, he began the campaign for youths in the South-east to also join the Russian army in the ongoing war in Ukraine.
For Obiorah it is not only about the monetary gains or attractive payments and benefits that made him go into the Russian army, but his belief that he and other South-east youths who joined the Russian army will put the Biafran struggle in a better spotlight and influence the higher authorities in Russia to persuade the Nigerian government to grant the agitators, a sovereign state.
No doubt, Obiorah has strong social media followership with pages from which he always pushes Russian army recruitment to the Igbo youths, Russian-influenced narratives and misinformation, as well as his Biafra agitation.
From 2025 to this moment, he has six different social media pages, although he no longer posts at all or regularly on some of them.
On his TikTok account, @spsp2255 archived here, which he no longer uses, Obiorah has over 27,000 followers. He has two active Facebook pages (Okechukwu Onyedika archived here and Obiorah Okechukwu archived here), with 6,000 and over 40,000 followers each. He also has an Instagram account with 3,000 followers archived here and YouTube archived here and Telegram channels archived here with fewer followers. But his most active Facebook page currently is Obiorah Okechukwu, which he created in July this year, with over 40,000 followers and counting.
From TikTok to Facebook to Instagram and YouTube, many people who come across his posts see him as a champion of the oppressed, a dedicated protector or advocate who actively fights for the rights of the vulnerable Igbos, Nigerians and Africans. He always demonstrates this by lending his voice to criticise the Nigerian government.
A Facebook user, Johnson Ogbonna, hailed Obiorah, saying that “The Igbo tribe will always bring out a strong man (Obiorah). They can’t stop us; if they hold one hostage, another person will come out.,Biafra is an idea, and we love the idea. Give us Biafra because we are mad about Biafra; we love her.”
Mario Masi Mutanuka from Zambia eulogised Obiorah, saying that he has done so much. “Thanks, my brother, for opening more doors for Africa.”
No Time To Wait
Immediately, he joined the Russian army in early July 2025; he wasted no time in announcing it as his achievement to his followers on TikTok and Facebook. This was a means of luring Nigeria’s South-east youths to join too, and comments under the post showed that many were desperate to join.
Obiorah posted a short video of his touchdown in Russia on 8 July 2025. A few days later, he shared another video of him signing the Russian army contract.
On 10 July 2025, he shared (archived here) the photos he had with some Russian military officials. By the 17th of that month, more photos of Obiorah as a Russian soldier were also posted (archived here) on TikTok. That same day, he made a video of himself getting his military kits from a military equipment store.
On 18 July, Obiorah made his first video (archived here) speaking in the Igbo language where he begged youths from Nigeria’s South-east to join the Russian army.
He assured them that he is capable of processing the recruitment of youths from Nigeria’s South-east into the Russian army, for those who are willing to join.
Reasons for the recruitment
In his first campaign for Russian army recruitment, Obiorah released to his followers his Russian line +79884769096 and his Nigerian line +2348137198331 asking interested persons to send him a direct message via WhatsApp.
He urged his followers to trust him, adding that the offer is genuine and in the best interest of “Biafra struggle.”
An enquiry was sent to Meta representative Corey Chambliss on 27 October; FACTWATCH Nigeria tried to get Meta’s comments on why it allowed Obiorah to be campaigning for the recruitment of South-east youths into the Russian army on its platform, WhatsApp.
No reply came from Meta regarding this enquiry.
When FACTWATCH Nigeria contacted the spokesperson for the State Security Service (SSS) in Nigeria, Favour Dozie, on 28 October via telephone; she directed that we send her a message via WhatsApp.
In the message we sent to her on WhatsApp, FACTWATCH Nigeria asked for the comments of the SSS on whether the campaign for recruitment of South-east youths into the Russian armed forces by Obiorah can be seen as a national security risk.
Despite the message indicating it was delivered to the SSS spokesperson (indicated by the double tick on WhatsApp), we got no response from her.
To convince many youths in the region, Obiorah claimed that “Russia is now the world power and the best in the security aspect in the world“, adding that people from other countries are welcome to join Russian armed forces at that time except Britain, which he labelled as “Russia’s enemy”.
Speaking further in the video in Igbo language, Obiorah revealed that one of the reasons he joined the Russian army in 2025 and campaigns for many South-east youths to also join,was that he wants “the Biafran flag to stand.”
Pointing at the Biafra badge on his face cap, he said, “The Biafran flag must stand; I want the Biafran flag to stand; it has been long since Nnamdi Kanu and others have been suffering in the Biafran agitation and struggle without help; I have come to offer help to the struggle by joining the Russian army.
“I want our people (South-east youths) to come to Russia, and join its army, and I would make sure it happens.
“I will be happy to see at least 50 Biafran youths (youths from Nigeria’s South-east) in the Russian army, so that when we come back to Nigeria, the Biafra agitation would get more serious; at least we would bring our war experience in areas of manufacturing weapons”, he said.
Tips for the recruitment
Those seeking to join the Russian army in Nigeria or from other countries are required to come into the country with a tourist visa or a company work visa.
A scanned data page of a Nigerian passport is needed for the visa processing and is to be sent to Obiorah via the phone number lines he provided (preferably the Russian number).
Interested persons must pay a $200 fee for hotel reservations in Moscow or St. Petersburg, with a promise by Obiorah that he can take care of the visa processing.
Upon payment of the $200 fee, an invitation letter alongside a hotel reservation document would be sent to the applicants in PDF format to their phones via email.
It is expected that the applicants would submit the Russian invitation letter to the Russian embassy in Nigeria or the embassy in the countries they are travelling from, and then buy a flight ticket for the trip to Russia.
When the Russian embassy interrogates applicants on why they are travelling to Russia, the applicants usually lie that they are going there only for tourism in St. Petersburg or Moscow. An undisclosed visa fee is usually collected from the applicants at the Nigerian embassy and attached to their passport.
Obiorah boasted that successful applicants who complete all necessary visa processes and obtain their visa, upon their arrival in Russia, would be received at the airport by some military officials.
Then, they would be put on a flight or electric train to a military camp where the Russian government would take care of them.
This means that after military officials receive them, Russian citizenship would be automatically granted to them, and then they would sign a one-year contract to serve in the Russian armed forces.
Upon completion of military service to Russia, a person can voluntarily opt out or reapply to become a full Russian soldier.
According to Obiorah, his Russian military commander is aware of this. This is an indicator that his campaign for the recruitment of youths in the South-east was coordinated and influenced by the Russian military authorities.
FACTWATCH Nigeria reached out to the Russian embassy in Nigeria via the phone number it listed on its website, but none of the lines was reachable.
We also sent a follow-up email to the Russian embassy asking if it is aware that there is a campaign for recruitment of Nigerians from the southeastern part of the country by Obiorah to fight on the front lines of the war in Ukraine.
However, we also did not get a response from the embassy as of 31 October.
Interested but no funds
In another video he posted (archived here) on 20 July 2025, Obiorah continued to urge South-east youths to join the Russian army but expressed disappointment that many people are asking him to use his own funds for the visa process.
“In this camp, I am the only Nigerian here; there are about 20 Ghanians, 30 South Africans who are in the Russian army, this why I am calling for our people to join too, but I am disappointed that many people are asking me to use my funds to run the recruitment process; that will not be possible.
“I see this recruitment as an update, an opportunity for our youths, especially for the Biafra struggle, but anyone who cannot afford to fund this opportunity should forget it; I have done what I am supposed to do”, he lamented in Igbo.
FACTWATCH Nigeria checked the comment section of the video on TikTok and found that more than 20 people bearing Igbo names indicated interest, but hey! There are no funds. However, Obiorah confirmed in another video that some people paid the money and he sent the invitation letter as he promised.
In yet another clip (archived here), Obiorah revealed that he always chooses to use the Igbo language to campaign for recruitment for security reasons, because he does not want the Western countries to understand what he is doing.
His use of the Igbo language to communicate to his followers on social media was also to make sure that his discussion of the Biafra agitation and his hidden plans are not easily understood by the Nigerian government.
Obiorah warned in a video (archived here) on 20 July 2025 that once it is September, no visa would be issued for anyone coming to Russia because of the winter season there.
Allegations
By the end of August 2025, Obiorah said in a video that people are accusing him of defrauding people who paid for the processing of the visa for Russian army recruitment.
Many people complained at that time, but in a series of videos he posted on the TikTok page, he gave his reason for the low response: he has been deployed to the war front and has not been able to respond to the people who paid him.
When reached out to, Emmanuel Nomso told FACTWATCH Nigeria that “he (Obiorah) is a known scammer; on TikTok in 2025. He comes online doing live videos telling people that he’s genuinely a Russian soldier that he’s not scamming anyone, promising them heaven on earth, and assuring them not to mind other people he has reaped on social media.”
When pressed further to bring evidence like payment receipts from those who have been scammed by Obiorah, Nomso could not get back to us.
Checks also showed that no one else making the allegations was able to come up with evidence to back up their allegations.
In another video, Obiorah warned people not to fall victim to fake TikTok accounts using his image to swindle unsuspecting persons.
The last time Obiorah campaigned for the recruitment of South-east youths into the Russian army in 2025 was in September of that year. In a video, he asked those who still want to come to Russia to send their basic details to him with the payment of $200. He insisted that he would never sponsor anyone with his own funds.
The last video Obiorah posted on his TikTok page was in November 2025, where he said that he and other Russian troops are still on the frontline in Ukraine.
However, during that time, he posted regularly on his Facebook page, Okechukwu Onyedika.
Not alone in this
Obiorah’s campaign for the recruitment of youths from Nigeria’s Southeast does not end on TikTok or Facebook; rather, FACTWATCH Nigeria discovered that many other Facebook and X pages that also support Biafran agitation took it upon themselves to spread the message to anybody interested during that time in 2025.
The recruitment campaign, which also spread to YouTube channels, came with a false and deceptive claim that South-east youths have the opportunity to apply for the recruitment because Russia has “recognised Biafra.”
We found at least five social media pages promoting Biafra agitation, which willingly campaigned for the recruitment on their pages.
On Facebook, for instance, a page named Fearless Achalugo posted a video clip of Obiorah on 18 July 2025, asking the South East youths to join the Russian army.
Captioning the clip, the Facebook page advised interested persons to immediately contact Obiorah to begin the process.
Sharing the post by Fearless Achalugo, another Facebook user, Maduka Ogwueleka wrote, “Video of an Igbo soldier from Nnewi, Biafraland in the Russian Army promoting Biafra and advising you to contact him if you wish to join the Russian military.”
Also campaigning during that period, an X page which supports the Biafra agitation, @biafraupdates, also posted one of Obiorah’s clips and claimed that, “Russia 🇷🇺 recognises Biafra flag, adding that “we need like 1000 to 10k Biafra men to join Russia army. E get why.”
FACTWATCH Nigeria cited a flyer posted in 2024 by a Facebook page, Biafran Foreign Legion, which shows Russian military recruitment targeting foreign nationals for contract service in the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation.
The page, like others, advised Southeast youths to join the Russian army.
The text in the flyer is in Russian language.
When translated into English it reads: Task force for recruiting contract military personnel for the Russian Armed Forces
- CONTRACT SERVICE
- ACCELERATED ACQUISITION OF RUSSIAN CITIZENSHIP FOR FOREIGN NATIONALS
- •OTAL ONE-TIME PAYMENT
495,000 rubles
- FREE TRAVEL TO THE SELECTION CENTER FROM YOUR CITY OF RESIDENCE
- PAYMENTS IN THE SPECIAL MILITARY OPERATION ZONE:
•From 204,000 rubles | From 50,000 to 1,000,000 rubles
- Monthly payments
8,000 rubles/day
- For combat performance
50,000 rubles for every kilometre of advance as part of an assault unit
- Contact number for more information:
8-800-100-34-36
- Toll-free within Russia
Many want to join; only a few could get to Russia
In a video in September 2025, Obiorah accused the Russian embassy in Nigeria of denying visas to many people who wanted to go to Russia at that time, despite collecting visa fees and stamping their passports. For him, it is an act of intimidation.
Again FACTWATCH Nigeria sent an enquiry to the Russian embassy in Nigeria seeking clarification on this claim by Obiorah that the embassy denied visas to many Nigerians, despite collecting fees for the visa. No response was provided by the embassy.
Obiorah’s posts on recruitment stopped, and he switched to posting the deceptive narratives of Russia being a saviour to the Sahel countries like Burkina Faso and Mali, as well as his war adventures in Ukraine.
Obiorah was actively posting videos from his engagement in the Ukraine war, his personal life and of course, his messages to his fellow Biafran agitators. However, he did not make posts throughout November 2025 till the end of the month.
His posts on his Facebook page continued from early December till the 21st of that month, when his death rumours began to spread.
It is not clear whether his TikTok page was suspended around December 2025, but Obiorah has, in a video, complained that TikTok, at some point, began to shadow-ban him and take down some of his videos. Though it is still active, he no longer posts on it.
FACTWATCH Nigeria understands that Obiorah, who joined in July 2025, later deployed to the frontline in Ukraine around August of that year, did not receive solid military training. This corroborates an investigation by the BBC.
In its investigation published this year, the BBC revealed that hundreds of African nationals—including individuals from Nigeria, Kenya, Ghana, Uganda, and Cameroon—were recruited into the Russian military with little to no prior military training.
Offline, and his death rumours
A Facebook page, Nigerian Military Gallery, on 15 February 2026, posted a photo combination of Obiorah in Russian and Nigerian army uniforms and announced that “Obiora Okechukwu, an unpatriotic Soldier who deserted the Nigerian Army to join the Russian Army. Sadly enough, he has been missing since 21 December 2025.
“Who will account for him? There is nothing like your country; defend it”, the post read further
Other Facebook pages also made similar posts and claimed Obiorah had died in the Ukraine war. However, the video in which he clarified that he was alive was posted on Facebook and other platforms at that time.
His posts continued on his Facebook page later in February, and by the end of May, he again shared a 2026 new recruitment notice for people from Africa interested in joining the Russian army.
In a flyer he shared, it lists the benefits recruits would receive.
Obiorah’s timely announcement of the Russian army recruitment for the second successive year was an indicator that the Russian higher military officials are directing and influencing his actions.
Obiorah also posted an update on Russian recruitment benefits in September.
In July, Obiorah announced the end of his first-year contract with the Russian army, obtaining his Russian citizenship and his return from the war in Ukraine. During this time, he also created his now most active Facebook page, Obiorah Okechukwu, which currently has over 40,000 followers and counting.
His return from the frontline in Ukraine gave him more time for his Biafra agitation and time to spread Russia-influenced deceptive narratives.
The deceptive narratives
Aside from campaigning for the recruitment of South-east youths into the Russian army, Obiorah, since joining the Russian army, has been dishing out a barrage of deceptive narratives and misinformation for people to believe that Russia is helping some African nations without asking for anything in return and that the Russian military can come to Nigeria if need be.
FACTWATCH Nigeria came across these deceptive narratives and found out that they are either misleading, false or exaggerated to deceive many people in Africa who are eager to swallow the narratives hook, line and sinker.
For instance, in March, Obiorah claimed in a post that President Vladimir Putin is the most important president in the world at the moment, adding that every country, especially in the Middle East and Africa, needs him.
That is not all; on 26 March, Obiorah also published a misleading post that Russia and China voted yes to condemn the alleged slavery of Africans. FACTWATCH Nigeria searched for credible reports to confirm this claim, but it turned out to be false.
In a video posted on 9 September, with a caption, “they must learn in a hard way from Africans through Russia”, Obiorah kept on deceiving his followers with the Russia-influenced narrative that the Western countries had “damaged African nations and are still ruling many African countries indirectly, scattering our economy.”
“Listen to me, you would think that the past and present Nigerian presidents are the ones making decisions, no! They are being directed and manipulated by Britain and the European Union because they have nothing to offer in their own countries, and now they are gaining from African resources in their selfishness.
“Their selfish desire is the reason why these people (Western Countries) continue to fight against Africans so that they can exploit our natural resources and they do so to enrich their countries.
“But Russia has come to defend Africa; we Russians, we said no, enough is enough, we Russians, we don’t care, we are not afraid of Western Countries; they are like a piece of shit to us in our footmatch,” he bragged.
Obiorah further boasted that any African nation that wants freedom should reach out to Russia; he said that it is only Russia that can bring unconditional freedom and development to Africa.
He concluded in the video that Russia would soon come to Nigeria, to “Biafran land”, to save the oppressed, adding that this would happen soon.”
Many people who commented on the post believed this deceptive narrative.
Commenting on the post, his follower, Ugochukwu Ezeiheoma, said, “My brother, every meaningful Biafran that wants our freedom must think towards Russia and for you.”
“It’s possible and good to be an international soldier 🪖 like a Russian soldier because they take good care of their soldiers; many Africans are in the USA as soldiers because America is good, Putin is good,” Onyekachi Ochomgba, another follower, said.
Other false or misleading posts to support or portray Russia as saviour of Africans can be found here and here, here, here and here.
His Biafra agitation
Since joining the Russian army, Obiorah has been very vocal in matters relating to Biafra agitation. Since last year, he has continued to speak on how the ” Biafra nation” can be achieved, and his belief that, as a Russian fighter, he can influence his long dream of Biafra breakaway from Nigeria.
In a series of posts on his social media accounts, Obiorah has consistently revealed that one of his aims for joining the Russian army is to help in any way he can to achieve it.
He has also posted several videos, speaking on how the struggle can be successful. Obiorah has repeatedly called on the Nigerian government to free the imprisoned Kanu, serving his life sentence in Sokoto State Correctional Centre, Nigeria’s North-West.
His threat of no peace, division in Nigeria
Obiorah has, in at least two videos seen by FACTWATCH Nigeria, threatened the existence of Nigeria and to bring “foreign forces” into the country.
“I am a Russian soldier, I have been on the war front, I have had the experience and now I am also a Russian citizen, all these give me some privileges.”
First, Obiorah had warned in a video that if anything should happen to D English Alhaji, a Nigerian social media influencer and conflict reporter who always reports on security and terrorism in the northern parts of the country, then there would be no peace in Nigeria.
“If anything happens to D English Alhaji for exposing our useless senators, it means that Nigeria wants to be divided; it means that Nigeria does not want peace; it means that Igbo, Hausa and Yoruba want to go their separate ways.
“That day Nigeria would be and must be divided; if anything should happen to D English Alhaji, it will not be funny; we are just watching,” he said.
In what he termed a “strong message” to the Nigerian government, Obiora demanded in another video that Biafra agitation should be given urgent attention before it is too late for Nigeria.
“We Igbos don’t belong to Nigeria; there is nothing like one Nigeria; they are treating us like slaves. Let us go in peace before it is too late.
“We don’t want to fight or kill anyone; we don’t want to go to war; we are only demanding our freedom, which is our right. Please let us go; I’m begging the Nigerian government now before it is too late, before we invite foreign forces. Everything has procedures and we are capable of doing that,” he threatened before the end of the video.
Again, Obiorah boasted in a video on 18 October that the Russian armed forces are warming up to save the Igbos from the alleged Nigerian oppressive system.
“Russia all the way, do not worry, very soon, Russian armed forces will come and help us (Igbos). They will come to our rescue; it is just a matter of time. Russian soldiers are just warming up,” he said in Pidgin.
This cheap deception quickly gave hope to his followers who commented on the Facebook post. For Ogwo Joseph, “he can’t wait to see that happen.”
Mercy Obinna said the Biafran agitators “need Putin, the Russian president, for Biafran freedom.”
Again, FACTWATCH Nigeria sent a WhatsApp message to the SSS spokesperson, Dozie, asking how the SSS is handling these threats by Obiorah.
She also failed to provide answers to the question.
On 22 October, Obiorah received a few people at the Russian airport. The men looked happy in the video he posted. However, it is unclear whether they came to Russia to join its army like others.
On 28 October, Obiorah made a video of himself and another Igbo youth, simply named Gabriel from Nigeria’s South-east who joined the Russian army as a result of his campaign for the recruitment of South-east youths into the Russian army in 2025.
Responsibilities of social media platforms, security agencies
Commenting on this investigation, Adeboye Adegoke, a Nigerian digital rights activist who previously worked with Paradigm Initiative, told FACTWATCH Nigeria that the issue of Obiorah’s spread of misinformation and campaign to recruit youths from Nigeria’s South-east into the Russian Army needs to be examined from several angles.
Adegoke pointed out particularly the responsibilities of social media platforms, the obligations of Nigerian security agencies, and the need to protect citizens from exploitation, manipulation and potential recruitment into armed conflicts.
“First is the responsibility of social media platforms. We must question how platforms can continue to provide space for individuals to openly recruit unsuspecting Nigerians, including vulnerable, economically disadvantaged or disgruntled young people, into a foreign military engaged in an active war. For many of these young people, such recruitment could amount to sending them on what is effectively a suicide mission.
“If the activities you have described are accurately documented, the platforms concerned should have identified and assessed this content, particularly its potential to facilitate dangerous recruitment, expose vulnerable individuals to serious harm, or encourage future violence. They have a responsibility to enforce their community standards, investigate such activities and take proportionate action, including warnings, restrictions or content removal where appropriate,” he explained.
Adegoke stressed that there is a delicate balance between protecting freedom of expression and addressing speech that facilitates violence or unlawful activities.
The digital rights activist explained that not every controversial statement, expression of political dissatisfaction or even discussion of a foreign conflict constitutes unlawful speech. However, credible incitement to violence, recruitment for unlawful violent activities and other forms of expression that cross established legal thresholds cannot simply be defended under the umbrella of free speech.
Adegoke maintained that the Nigeria Police Force, including its National Cybercrime Centre, the Department of State Services (DSS), and other relevant agencies have responsibilities to investigate credible threats to public safety and national security.
“These institutions have mechanisms for monitoring publicly available online threats and engaging technology companies through established reporting and lawful information-sharing channels.
“Where there is credible evidence that someone is recruiting Nigerian citizens into a foreign war, particularly with the stated intention of acquiring combat experience for possible future violence within Nigeria, that should raise serious national security concerns and warrant investigation.”
Adegoke questioned why Nigeria’s security institutions should wait until young Nigerians have been recruited, exposed to death or serious injury abroad, or potentially returned with combat experience intended for violent activities before taking appropriate action.
For him, responsibility cannot rest exclusively with either government or technology companies; Adegoke stressed that platforms must establish effective mechanisms for identifying, assessing and responding to potentially harmful recruitment activities. Security agencies must investigate credible threats, engage platforms through lawful channels and act within their statutory mandates.
The digital rights activist added that Nigerians themselves need greater awareness and protection.
He advised that citizens should be particularly cautious about online promises of military employment, attractive financial compensation, foreign citizenship or opportunities abroad that conceal the realities of participation in armed conflict.
With his active Facebook page, which continues to grow, and as many people keep falling for his Russian-influenced deceptive narratives, as well as being eager and desperate to join the Russian army, in the last 16 months, Obiorah has seen himself as a new superstar who can only ride on the intelligence of his ignorant followers to sustain his cheap popularity on social media.
