During a courtesy visit to Nigeria’s Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa, Lt Gen Andrei Averianov, representing President Vladimir Putin, pledged weapons, intelligence, and strategic support, describing Nigeria as a vital regional power and long-standing defence partner.
Averianov noted that Russia, currently engaged in operations against 39 adversaries, had developed advanced counterterrorism strategies it was ready to share. He expressed readiness to supply a full range of weapons and support Nigeria’s counterinsurgency efforts.
General Musa welcomed the offer and called for deeper cooperation in special operations training, equipment maintenance, and intelligence sharing.
He specifically requested Russian assistance in reviving Mi-35M attack helicopters and other platforms that have been impactful in previous operations but are currently grounded due to maintenance challenges.
He also proposed deploying Russian experts for local repairs or shipping unserviceable equipment to Russia for overhaul.
