Russia Ukraine crisis latest: 'Fighting for Ukraine dey beta dan living here' - Nigerian volunteer

Wen Russia launch invasion of Ukraine last month, 27-year-old Nigerian Ottah Abraham provoke.

Im pick up im phone tweet: "I want to join di team."

Im bin dey about 8,700km away from di front line, for one small house for Nigeria main city, Lagos.

Di graduate of philosophy na one of several hundred Africans, from kontris like Nigeria, Kenya, Senegal, South Africa and Algeria, wey say dem dey willing to take up arms for battle against Russia, partly to escape di hardship wey many young men dey face at home.

"We sabi say na war, no be childs play," im tell BBC. "But to be soldier for Ukraine go dey beta dan to stay here.

"If dem fit allow me stay wen di war end, plus I be hero and fight an undeniable enemy."

Ukraine Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba say about 20,000 volunteers from across di world don already apply to enlist.

Dem come afta Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky beg di world for foreign fighters to "come and stand shoulder to shoulder wit Ukraine pipo".

Di goment don temporarily reduce im visa requirements and offer equipment plus salary to pipo wit valid passport and military training.

E no get any official confirmation say dem go allow foreign fighters stay for di kontri afta di war.

Kereti Usoroh, na Nigerian wey dey live for Nigeria capital, Abuja, say wetin dey ginger am to volunteer no get anytin to do wit moni or citizenship.

"I dey already live comfortable life. If I want to go to Europe, I go do am through education, not war," di 29-year-old lawyer said.

"Dis na about bullying - injustice for one na injustice for all."

Dis na sentiment wey go totori di hearts of Ukraine diplomats and some days afta President Zelenksy begging, dozens of hopeful volunteers waka go Ukraine embassy for Abuja, wit ambitions of enlisting.

Mercenaries no dey welcome

But Ukrainian embassy for Nigeria - like for odas for Africa - gatz press pause as many goments for Africa no want dia kontri pipo to fight for Ukraine.

"Nigeria dey discourage di use of mercenaries anywia for world and no go tolerate di recruitment," Nigeria foreign ministry write for statement.

Bohdan Soltys, one Ukraine embassy official for Nigeria, say dem no go pay Africans to fight - and pipo go gatz pay dia own flight to reach Europe.

"E get clear difference between foreign volunteers and mercenaries," im tell BBC.

Im later explain say dem give am instruction to send back any volunteers wey come di embassy.

Senegal also warn im kontri pipo against enlisting for di war and order Ukraine ambassador to remove di Facebook post wey dey call for Senegal volunteers. Dem call di recruitment effort "illegal and punishable by law."

Algerian foreign ministry give similar order to im Ukraine embassy.

"My kontri say I no dey allowed to go. I try to write to di foreign ministry. Dem no ansa me, but I go try again," 28-year-old Algerian Belhadj Hani Amir tell BBC.

"I wan go Ukraine, but I also hope dis war go end as soon as possible."

Ukraine ambassador to South Africa, Mozambique and Botswana Liubov Abravitova tell BBC say hundreds of pipo from across southern Africa bin volunteer to fight or work for humanitarian capacity - but she bin dey unable to act on their requests as she dey wait for instructions from dia goments.

South Africa get strict law against mercenaries.

In fact, Ukraine official website for recruiting di "international legion" of volunteers, wey provide di contact details of local embassies around di world, no include missions for African kontris again.

One representative wey dey work for di website confam say dem remove some African kontris sake of "regulatory restrictions".

'Russian brothers'

Algeria, Senegal and South Africa dey among 17 of Africa 54 countries wey abstaine from di vote for UN to condemn di invasion of Ukraine, as dem no want to provoke Russia.

And Russia get support for Africa. E don expand im influence for di continent - especially militarily, by helping kontris like Central African Republic (CAR), Libya, Mali and Sudan fight rebels or Islamist militants.

One video wey dey claim to show soldiers from CAR dey vow to join dia "Russian brodas" dey also circulate online, though BBC no fit independently verify di source and goment officials no respond to request for comments.

Last Friday, Russia Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu say "ova 16,000 fighters" from di Middle East don volunteer to fight wit di Russian army - e no clear if dis one include any from North Africa.

But wit African goments preventing recruitment of dia own citizens, e no clear if any of di men go make reach di front line - and one Ukraine official wey dey charge of registering foreign volunteers tell BBC say no Africans don come.

Disappointment

For some, like David Osagie Adeleke from Nigeria south-western Oyo state, dis bin be devastating blow.

Di 21-year-old, wey don dey work as emergency rescue worker for di Red Cross, don dey prepare to enlist as a combatant, as im don collect di necessary documentation, including letter of recommendation.

"I go straight di police station to collect my documents," im tok, explaining say clean criminal record na one of di requirements for enlisting.

"I dey disappointed to hear say di embassy dey now tok say e no go take us Africans."

As im emails to Ukraine embassy dey bounce back now, im dey look for alternative routes to reach di kontri border.

"I don get interview wit di Polish embassy for Nigeria," im tok.

Prince Nkem Nduche, wey dey among di pipo wey go Ukraine embassy in Abuja, get more knowledge dan most pipo about di situation for Ukraine and im dey more hopeful.

Im actually spent some time for Russia as young man, e get dual citizenship and even join Russia military academy - but dem jail am for short time, accuse am of being spy afta dem see am for American embassy.

Im say im run comot from di kontri seven years ago, through Ukraine - and go happily fight against Russia, but e accept say e no go be.

"I bin wan go on my own but as Nigeria goment say we no fit go… I go obey dem," im tell BBC.