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Arms Deal: Nigeria Turns To Russia For Arms To Fight Boko Haram

After several rejected appeals to the US and UK for weapons and helicopter gunships to fight Boko Haram, Nigeria has finally turned to Russia for … Continue reading Arms Deal: Nigeria Turns To Russia For Arms To Fight Boko Haram


Command Centre

armsAfter several rejected appeals to the US and UK for weapons and helicopter gunships to fight Boko Haram, Nigeria has finally turned to Russia for urgent help.

This is according to reports released on Monday by Damina Advicers, a global political risk consulting firm.

The report says Russia is eager to increase its leverage over other major oil producers, and find new markets for its sanctioned local arms manufacturers.

It says the Russian government has in recent weeks engaged in talks over a multi-billion dollar arms deal and technical advisory mission to help the Nigerian army defeat the insurgents.

Meanwhile, the Nigerian government has ended a US government’s military training programme for Nigerian Army.

The Nigerian government requested for the suspension of the programme less than a month after Washington said it refused to sell the country Cobra attack helicopters.

“At the request of the Nigerian government, the United States will discontinue its training of a Nigerian Army battalion,” the US Embassy in the capital, Abuja, said in an e-mailed statement.

The training programme was designed to help Nigeria battle the Islamist militant group, Boko Haram.