The pact has been described as a landmark development between both nations.
Nigeria and Russia have signed a military cooperation deal that will provide a legal framework for the supply of equipment and the training of troops.
The Nigerian embassy in Moscow announced the deal on Wednesday, August 25, 2021.
President Muhammadu Buhari had said he was keen on such a pact with Russia, when he met Russian President Vladimir Putin at a Russia-Africa summit in 2019.
Buhari feels that the deal with Russia could help defeat the Boko Haram insurgency in the northeast of the country, and rout bandits who have become a daily menace in the northwest.
"The Agreement on Military-Technical Cooperation between both countries provides a legal framework for the supply of military equipment, provision of after sales services, training of personnel in respective educational establishments and technology transfer, among others," the Nigerian embassy said in a statement.
The pact has been described by the embassy as a landmark development in bilateral relations between Abuja and Moscow.
Nigeria already uses some Russian fighter jets and helicopters, alongside military equipment purchased from Western powers such as the United States, in its insurgency battle, Reuters reports.
In July, U.S. lawmakers had put a hold on a proposal to sell almost $1 billion of weapons to Nigeria, due to concerns about possible human rights violations by the Buhari government.
However, Nigeria recently took delivery of six Super Tucano fighter jets from the United States.
Source:
PULSE.NG
