Russia Pledges Military Support, Weapons, Expertise to Boost Nigeria’s Counter-terrorism Operations
The Russian Federation has reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening military cooperation with Nigeria, offering advanced weaponry, operational assistance, and strategic counterterrorism expertise to bolster Nigeria’s ongoing fight against insurgency.
The pledge was delivered on Monday by Lieutenant General Andrei Averianov, Special Representative of Russian President Vladimir Putin and the Russian Minister of Defence, during a courtesy visit to Nigeria’s Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa, at the Defence Headquarters in Abuja.
According to a statement by the Director of Defence Media Operations, Brigadier General Tukur Gusau, the visit marks a significant milestone in Nigeria-Russia defence relations.
Lt Gen Averianov described Nigeria as a strategic ally and regional powerhouse, noting that Russia has closely monitored Nigeria’s counterinsurgency campaigns and stands ready to provide comprehensive military assistance. He cited Russia’s experience in combatting asymmetric threats across operations involving 39 adversary nations as a foundation for the offer.
“Russia is willing to share new counterterrorism techniques developed during its operations, while also providing Nigeria with a full range of required weaponry,” Averianov said, emphasizing the importance of global collaboration against terrorism.
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He also acknowledged the evolving nature of global threats—from conventional warfare to terrorism perpetrated by groups such as Boko Haram and Al-Qaeda—and reaffirmed Russia’s desire to help secure the future for generations in Nigeria and beyond.
General Musa welcomed the delegation on behalf of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and expressed gratitude for Russia’s commitment to support. He stressed the need for expanded bilateral cooperation in special operations training, intelligence sharing, equipment maintenance, and logistics support.
Highlighting the challenges faced by the Nigerian Armed Forces, Musa noted that several Russian-made military platforms currently in use were unserviceable due to a lack of spare parts. He appealed for urgent assistance in deploying Russian technicians for in-country repairs or arrangements to return the equipment to Russia for servicing.
The CDS also emphasized the need for increased training exchanges, including sending Nigerian officers to Russia and inviting Russian instructors to Nigeria, particularly in specialized fields like amphibious operations and the use of fast-attack craft.
He concluded by commending the Russian delegation for delivering equipment and dispatching experts to oversee testing, describing the gesture as a fulfillment of Russia’s strategic partnership promise to Nigeria.
The high-level engagement signals deepening military relations between the two countries as Nigeria continues to grapple with insurgency threats across its northern regions.
By PRNigeria
