August 24, 2017Agency Report
Nigeria is considering purchasing Russian military
equipment and is particularly interested in MiG fighters, Yak-130 aircraft,
artillery equipment and armoured vehicles, Defence Minister Mansur Dan-Ali told
Sputnik on Thursday.
“The Russian equipment that could be of our interest are
MiG fighters and some artillery equipment.
“We are here [at International Army Games-2017] to have a
look. We have identified some items, like the Kalashnikov modern, new rifles
and also avionics, helicopters and some other mine-resistant protected
vehicles.
“We also looked at the [Yak-] 130 jet and also we are
thinking how to go about it. We just had a look and now when we go back home we
look at some of its specifications before we sit down for negotiations,” Mr.
Dan-Ali said.
Speaking about military supplies from Russia, the
minister mentioned the ongoing deliveries of Russian helicopters to the African
nation within the framework of the 2016 agreement.
“Basically, we have gone for Mi-35 helicopters last year.
We have taken two already and are expecting to get another two, early next
year.
“All in all, we have about 12 of them,” the minister
said.
He also said Nigeria is planning to take part in the 2018
International Army Games.
“We shall participate in the International Army Games. As
I have said earlier, this agreement that we have just signed entails closer
cooperation between the two states.
“We are looking at exchange programs, training and
exercises. Since 2006, we have been pushing for it in order to facilitate
training of personnel and exchanges of ideas between our two militaries,” the
minister said.
On Tuesday, Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu met
with Mr. Dan-Ali on the sidelines of the 2017 International Army Games and
invited the Nigerian side to participate in the game next year.
On the same day, the two countries signed an
intergovernmental agreement on military cooperation. According to Mr. Shoigu,
the two states would, in particular, focus on joint training of troops,
exchange of peacekeeping experience, as well as combating piracy and terrorism.
The two countries have a long history of cooperation,
including in the military field.
In September 2016, Russia and Nigeria reached an
agreement on the delivery of Mi-35M attack helicopters.
In June 2017, the Nigerian defence minister said that
Russia could supply Nigeria with weapons to back it in the struggle against the
Boko Haram terrorist group.
The International Army Games is an annual military
competition held since 2015.
Within the framework of the international event,
servicemen from different countries compete in different military disciplines.
According to the Russian Defence Ministry’s website, the
2017 games were held in Azerbaijan, Belarus, China, Kazakhstan and Russia,
while the programme of the event comprised 28 different contests.
(Sputnik/NAN)
Source: premiumtimesng.com
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