Pascal Arogorn Ibe
One year has passed, and a gradual silence is fast returning to Nigeria’s Southeastern states since the major Biafran separatists, Nnamdi Kanu, the leader of the outlawed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and Simon Ekpa, a leader of an autopilot faction of the group, were convicted by courts.
Kanu was sentenced to life imprisonment in Nigeria, while Ekpa was initially sentenced to six years but was later reduced to four years’ imprisonment in Finland—for their involvement in separatism and terrorism which held the region to a standstill in the last six years.
However, for Okechukwu Obiorah, a former Nigerian soldier-turned Russian mercenary, this is an opportunity to position himself as a new hero in the Biafran separatism.
Obiorah’s emergence came at a time when Russian influence operations in Nigeria and Africa were at their peak. In the last few years, there has been evidence of Russian-sponsored propaganda and manipulation of information in many countries, especially sub-Saharan Africa including Nigeria.
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 critical minerals in African countries.
These influencers capitalised on the poor governance in many African countries like Nigeria and other Sahelian States, which culminated largely into insecurity and economic hardship for citizens, thus making people from these nations believe that Russia is the only saviour they need at the moment.
Connecting the dots, the Igbos and victim mentality
Over the years, there have been claims that the Igbos in Southeastern Nigeria and parts of Nigeria’s South-South region were marginalised and indiscriminately excluded from vital positions in Nigeria’s national polity and appointments.
There is also a claim that there is a collective hatred by other major Nigerian ethnic groups such as the Hausa-Fulani and the Yoruba against the Igbos. Therefore, the only way out, being advanced by the separatists, is secession from Nigeria; which is Biafra sovereignty.
Immediately Obiorah got to Russia in 2025, he capitalised on the fact that he knew many residents in Nigeria’s Southeast were eager for a liberator, often clamouring “who is going to liberate us from Nigeria and give us Biafra?”
Some people in Southeastern Nigeria believe that Western countries, including the United States and United Kingdom, are benefiting from Nigerian resources, hence the reason for their alleged refusal to support Biafran separatism over the years. Some separatists now see Russia as their potential liberator and saviour.
IPOB, led by Kanu since 2014, has been seeking the breakaway of the five states in Nigeria’s Southeast region and some part of South-South from Nigeria in order to form a sovereign state of Biafra.
Who is Okechukwu Obiorah?
“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 echoed online 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 mercenary in 2025.
FACTWATCH Nigeria wanted to authenticate the number of years Obiorah actually served in the Nigerian Army and reached out to its spokesperson, Appolonia Anele, a colonel, on the phone multiple times, but the calls were not answered by her.
Shortly after joining the Russian Army as a mercenary in 2025, he championed a campaign for youths in Southeastern Nigeria 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 joined the Russian army, but his belief that he and other Igbo 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 separatists a sovereign state.
No doubt, Obiorah has strong social media followership with multiple pages from where he pushes Kremlin narratives online, especially that of Russian army recruitment, to Igbo youths as well as his Biafra agitation.
From 2025 till now, he has six different social media pages, although he no longer posts regularly on few 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 47,000 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 named Obiorah Okechukwu, which he created in July 2026, with over 47,000 followers.
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, in a social media post, 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 announced it online ceremoniously as an achievement to his followers on TikTok and Facebook. This was a means of luring Nigerian Igbo youths to join too, but comments under the post showed that many were desperate to join.
Obiorah posted a short video of his touchdown in Russia on July 8, 2025. A few days later, he shared another video of him signing the Russian army contract.
On July 10, 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 July 18, Obiorah made his first video (archived here) speaking in Igbo language where he begged youths from Nigeria’s Southeast to join the Russian army.
He assured them that he is capable of processing the recruitment of youths from Southeastern Nigeria into the Russian army, for those who are willing to join.
Reasons for the recruitment drive
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, alleging that the offer is genuine and in the best interest of “Biafra struggle.”
FACTWATCH Nigeria sent an enquiry to Meta representative, Corey Chambliss, on October 27, 2026 but got no response. The enquiry seeks to know what measures Meta has in place to safeguard other Meta platforms’ users from falling victim to Obiorah’s disinformation drive on WhatsApp and Facebook.
In addition, FACTWATCH Nigeria also contacted the spokesperson for Nigeria’s State Security Service (SSS), Favour Dozie, on October 28 via phone but she directed that we send her a WhatsApp message instead.
In the message sent to her WhatsApp number, FACTWATCH Nigeria seeks to know if Obiorah’s online campaign using recruitment drive to push Igbo youths into the Russian army constitute any national security risk and whether the security agency have measures in place to check such practices and protect innocent Nigerians.
Despite the message indicating it was delivered to the SSS spokesperson (as indicated by the double blue tick on WhatsApp), we got no response from her as at press time when we published.
To convince many youths in the region, Obiorah claimed that “Russia is now the world power and the best in the security aspect of the world“, adding that people from other countries are welcome to join the Russian army except Britain, which he labelled as “Russia’s enemy”.
Speaking further in Igbo language in the video, Obiorah revealed that one of the reasons he joined the Russian army in 2025 and championed the call for many Igbo youths to also join was that he wants “the Biafran flag to stand.”
Pointing at the Biafra badge on his face cap in the video, 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 (Igbo 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 Southeastern Nigeria) 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.
Obiorah’s tips for the recruitment drive
Those seeking to join the Russian army in Nigeria or from any other countries are required to come into Russia with a tourist visa or a company work visa, Obiorah claimed.
He also ask anyone interested to send a scanned data page of their Nigerian passport for visa processing via the phone numbers he provided (indicating preference for the Russian number).
He promised to take care of the applicant’s visa processing once any interested person pays a $200 fee allegedly for hotel reservations in Moscow or St. Petersburg, Russia.
Upon payment of the $200 fee, Obiorah claimed an invitation letter alongside a hotel reservation document would be sent to the applicants in PDF format via email.
He emphasised that applicants would then submit the Russian invitation letter to the Russian embassy in Nigeria or in the countries they are travelling from, and then purchase a flight ticket for the Russian trip.
He encouraged applicants to lie that they are going to Russia for tourism in St. Petersburg or Moscow whenever the applicants visit the Russian embassy for visa interviews and asked why they are travelling to Russia.
Obiorah boasted in some of his online videos that successful applicants, who complete all necessary visa processes and obtain their visa, would be received at the airport by some Russian military officials upon their arrival in Russia.
He further alleged that they would be put on a flight or electric train to a military camp where the Russian government would take care of them.
He further claimed that once the Russian military officials received them, they would be automatically granted Russian citizenship; after which they would be required to sign a one-year contract to serve in the Russian armed forces as mercinaries.
Upon completion of military service to Russia, a person can voluntarily opt out or reapply to become a full Russian soldier, Obiorah claimed.
According to Obiorah, his Russian military commander is aware of this – an indication that his influence campaign for the recruitment drive of Igbo youths was likely coordinated and influenced by the Kremlin.
FACTWATCH Nigeria reached out to the Russian embassy in Nigeria via the telephone numbers it listed on its website, but none of the phone numbers was reachable as at the time of filing this report.
We also sent a follow-up email to the Russian embassy in Abuja seeking to know if it is aware of Obiorah’s recruitment drive allegedly for Russia. However, we didn’t get any response from the embassy as of November 11, 2026.
Interested but no funds
In another video he posted on TikTok (archived here) on July 20, 2025, Obiorah continued to urge Igbo youths especially in Nigeria’s Southeast to join the Russian army but expressed disappointment that many people are asking him to use his own funds for their visa processing.
“In this camp, I am the only Nigerian here; there are about 20 Ghanaian, 30 South Africans who are in the Russian army, this is 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 while speaking in Igbo language.
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 TikTok video that some people had paid the fees, noting that he has since sent them invitation letters as promised.
In yet another TikTok clip (archived here), Obiorah revealed that he often speaks in Igbo language for the recruitment drive for security reasons, because he does not want the Western countries to understand what he is doing.
His preference to communicate with his followers on social media in Igbo language was likely to ensure that his discussions about Biafra agitation and his hidden plans were easily understood by his target audience – Igbo youths only.
Obiorah warned in another TikTok video (archived here) on July 20 2025 that once it is September, no visa would be issued for anyone coming to Russia because of the winter season.
Fraud allegations emerge
By the end of August 2025, Obiorah said in a TikTok video that people are accusing him of defrauding those who paid for visa processing allegedly for the Russian army recruitment drive.
Many people also complained on his Facebook posts at that time, but in a series of videos he posted on his TikTok page, he offered reason for his low response, saying that he was deployed to the war front in Ukraine and has not been able to get back to those who paid him for their visa processing.
When we reached out to one of Obiorah’s social media followers, 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 off on social media,” Nomso said.
When pressed further to share evidence like payment receipts over the fraud allegations, Nomso neither provide any or nor get back to us. Our checks also showed that nobody among those alleging that Obiorah defrauded them online could come up with evidence.
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 posted about his recruitment drive was in September 2025. In the TikTok video, he asked those who still want to come to Russia to send their basic details to him with the payment of $200, insisting that he would not 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 front-line in Ukraine.
However, during that time, he posted regularly on his other Facebook page, with the name: 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 supported Biafran separatism took it upon themselves to spread the message to anybody interested in 2025.
The recruitment campaign, which also spread to YouTube channels, came with a false and deceptive claim that Southeast youths have the opportunity to apply for the recruitment because Russia has officially “recognised Biafra.”
We found at least five social media pages promoting Biafra separation, which willingly championed the recruitment drive on their pages.
On Facebook, for instance, a page named Fearless Achalugo posted a video clip of Obiorah on July 18, 2025, asking Igbo youths to join the Russian army.
In a caption on 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 separation, @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 was 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
•TOTAL 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, but only a few could get to Russia
In a video posted in September 2025, Obiorah accused the Russian embassy in Nigeria of denying visas to many people who wanted to go to Russia at the 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 but got no response.
However, Obiorah later stopped posting on the recruitment drive and started posting deceptive narratives about Russia being a saviour to Sahelian 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 separatists. However, he made no post again from November 2025. But his Facebook posts continued from early December 2025 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 had, in a video, complained that TikTok at some point shadow-ban him and took down some of his videos. Though his TikTok account is still active, but he no longer posts there.
FACTWATCH Nigeria learnt that Obiorah, who became Russian mercenary in July 2025, and was later deployed to the war frontline in Ukraine around August of same year, did not receive solid military training. This corroborates an investigation by the BBC.
In its investigation published in June 2026, 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 alongside a claim that Obiorah had died in the Russia – Ukraine war. However, the video in which he clarified that he was alive was reposted on Facebook and other platforms at that time.
His posts continued on his Facebook page later in February 2026, and by the end of May, he again shared a 2026 new recruitment notice for Africans interested in joining the Russian army.
In a flyer he shared, it lists all the benefits the new recruits would enjoy.
Obiorah’s timely announcement of the Russian army recruitment for the second successive year shows that higher Russian military officials are likely directing and influencing his posts.
Obiorah also posted an update on Russian recruitment benefits in September 2026
Earlier in July 2026, Obiorah announced the end of his first-year contract with the Russian army, alleging that he has obtained his Russian citizenship and had returned from the war in Ukraine. During that time, he also created his now most active Facebook page, Obiorah Okechukwu, which currently has over 47,000 followers and still counting.
FACTWATCH Nigeria observed that his return from the war in Ukraine gave him more time for his Biafra separatism activities online to spread Kremlin narratives.
The disinformation narratives
Apart from championing the recruitment of Igbo youths into the Russian army, Obiorah, since joining the Russian army, has been dishing out a barrage of disinformation narratives and misinformation for people to believe that Russia is helping some African nations without asking for anything in return, adding that the Russian military can come to Nigeria at the request of the local separatists when called upon.
FACTWATCH Nigeria came across these narratives and found out that they are either misleading, false or exaggerated to deceive many Africans who are eager to swallow such disinformation hook, line and sinker.
For instance, in March 2026, Obiorah claimed in a Facebook post that Russian President Vladimir Putin is the most important president in the world, adding that every country, especially in the Middle East and Africa, needs him.
Similarly on March 26, 2026, he 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 September 9, 2026, with a caption, “they must learn in a hard way from Africans through Russia”, Obiorah kept deceiving his followers with Kremlin narratives 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 said in the video.
Obiorah boasted further that any African nation that wants freedom should reach out to Russia, adding that only Russia 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 his narrative.
Commenting on the post, one of his followers, 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 of Obiorah said.
Some of his disinformation narratives that support or portray Russia as saviour of Africans can be found here, here and here.
His Biafra secession plea
Since joining the Russian army, Obiorah has been very vocal in matters relating to Biafra secession from Nigeria. 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 Biafra secession.
He also posted multiple videos, speaking on how the struggle can be successful. Obiorah has repeatedly called on the Nigerian government to free the jailed Nnamdi Kanu, serving his life sentence in Sokoto State Correctional Centre, Nigeria’s Northwestern region.
Obiorah’s multiple threats
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,” he said in one of the videos.
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 Northern Nigeria, 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 secession 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 ending the video.
Again, Obiorah boasted in another video on October 18, 2026 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.”
Another follower, 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, seeking to know if the security agency is taking Obiorah’s threats seriously. She didn’t respond to our inquiry.
On October 22, 2026, Obiorah allegedly received few persons at a 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 other Africans.
On October 28, 2026, Obiorah made a video of himself and another Igbo youth, simply named Gabriel from Nigeria’s Southeast who recently joined the Russian army as a result of his online recruitment drive.
Holding social media platforms, security agencies accountable
Commenting on this investigation, Boye Adegoke, a digital rights activist who previously worked with Paradigm Initiative, an civic-tech NGO in Nigeria, told FACTWATCH Nigeria that Obiorah’s spread of disinformation to recruit Igbo youths for Russian war in Ukraine 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 State Security Services (SSS), 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,” he said.
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.
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