[ad_1]
When Russia launched its invasion of Ukraine last month, 27-year-old Nigerian Ottah Abraham became angry.
He picked up his phone and wrote on Twitter: “I want to join the team “. Abraham was about 8,700km away from the front line, in a small apartment in Nigeria’s main city, Lagos, according to the BBC.
The philosophy graduate is one of several hundred Africans from countries such as Nigeria, Kenya, Senegal, South Africa and Algeria who say they are ready to take up arms in the battle against Russia, in part to escape bleak prospects. faced by many young people at home.
“We know it is a war, not a child game“He told the BBC. ““But being a soldier in Ukraine would be better than living here.”
“I will certainly be allowed to stay if the war ends, plus I will be a hero and fight an enemy.”he added.
A British volunteer was photographed crossing into Ukraine on March 5 to join the international legion
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said about 20,000 volunteers from around the world had already applied to register. They came after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky made a global call for foreign fighters to come and stand side by side with Ukrainians.
The Ukrainian government has temporarily lifted visa requirements and provided equipment and a salary for those with valid passports and military training. There is no official confirmation whether foreign fighters will be allowed to stay in the country after the war.
Kereti Usoroh, a Nigerian living in the capital Abuja, said his willingness to fight against the Russians had nothing to do with financial gain or the prospect of citizenship.
“I already live a comfortable life. “If I wanted to go to Europe, I would do it through education, not war.”said the 29-year-old lawyer.
Following Zelenksy’s call, dozens of volunteers approached the Ukrainian embassy in Abuja to register.
Mercenaries are not welcome
But the Ukrainian embassy in Nigeria, like others in Africa, has had to make exceptions, as many of the continent’s governments do not want their citizens to fight in Ukraine.
“Nigeria discourages the use of mercenaries anywhere in the world and will not tolerate recruitment.” wrote in a statement the Nigerian foreign ministry.
Bohdan Soltys, an official of the Ukrainian embassy in Nigeria said they were not paying Africans to fight and people would have to pay for their flights to reach Europe.
“There is a line between foreign volunteers and mercenariesHe told the BBC.
He later clarified that he had been instructed to remove any volunteers who arrived at the embassy.
Senegal also warned its citizens not to register for the war and ordered the Ukrainian ambassador to remove a Facebook post calling for Senegalese volunteers, calling the recruitment attempt “illegal and punishable by law”.
The Algerian Foreign Ministry issued a similar order to its Ukrainian embassy.
“My country says I am not allowed to go. I tried to write to the foreign ministry. They did not answer me, but I will try again“28-year-old Algerian Belhadj Hani Amir told the BBC.
“I want to go to Ukraine, but I also hope that this war will end as soon as possible.”
Ukraine’s ambassador to South Africa, Mozambique and Botswana, Liubov Abravitova, told the BBC that hundreds of people from all over South Africa had volunteered to fight or work, but she was unable to comply with their demands. as he was waiting for instructions from them. South Africa has a strict law against mercenaries.
In fact, Ukraine’s official website for recruiting an “international legion” of volunteers, which provides contact information for local embassies around the world, no longer includes missions to African countries.
A representative working for the website confirmed that some African countries were removed due to “regulatory restrictions”.
A pro-Russian rally was held in Bangui, the CAR capital, earlier this month
“Russian brothers”
Algeria, Senegal and South Africa were among 17 of the 54 African countries that abstained from voting at the UN to condemn the invasion of Ukraine, as they wanted to avoid antagonizing Russia.
Russia has expanded its influence in Africa, particularly militarily, by helping countries like the Central African Republic (CAR), Libya, Mali and Sudan to fight Islamic rebels or militants.
Last Friday, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said “over 16,000 fighters” from the Middle East had volunteered to fight with the Russian military, but it was unclear whether this included any from North Africa.
Prince Nkem Nduche, who wanted to fight in Ukraine
Disappointment
For some, like David Osagie Adeleke from the southwestern Nigerian state of Oyo, it was a devastating blow.
The 21-year-old, who worked for the Red Cross, was preparing to register as a fighter after gathering the necessary documentation, including a letter of recommendation.
“I went directly to the police station to get my documents”he said.
“I’m disappointed to hear that the embassy is now saying it will not take us Africans. “I have an interview with the Polish embassy in Nigeria.” he said.
Prince Nkem Nduche, who was among the people at the Ukrainian embassy in Abuja, has more knowledge than most about the situation in Ukraine.
He actually spent some time in Russia as a young man, has dual citizenship and even enrolled in the Russian military academy, but was imprisoned for a short time, accused of being a spy after being seen at the US embassy.
The prince said he left the country seven years ago, through Ukraine, and would gladly fight against Russia.
“I wanted to go myself, but as the Nigerian government said, we can not go… I will obey themHe told the BBC.
top channel
[ad_2]
Source link
