POLITICS TODAY

In a decisive boost to Nigeria’s counter-terrorism efforts, Russia has pledged advanced weaponry, tactical support, and military expertise to help crush Boko Haram, ISWAP, and bandit groups threatening national stability.

The powerful pledge came on Monday from Lt. Gen. Andrei Averianov, special envoy of Russian President Vladimir Putin and the Minister of Defence, during a visit to Nigeria’s Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Christopher Musa, at the Defence Headquarters in Abuja.

According to Brig. Gen. Tukur Gusau, Director of Defence Media Operations, the visit marks a major leap in Nigeria-Russia defence ties, with Moscow offering not just arms, but deep strategic cooperation.

Lt. Gen. Averianov hailed Nigeria as a regional force and emphasized Russia’s readiness to share cutting-edge counterinsurgency techniques honed in over 39 theatres of war. He said Russia will supply Nigeria with modern weaponry and operational insight to confront evolving threats like terrorism, banditry, and asymmetric warfare.

“Russia stands ready to support Nigeria with the tools, knowledge, and experience needed to win this fight,” he said, adding that global security demands unified responses to terror threats.

General Musa, speaking on behalf of President Bola Tinubu, welcomed the Russian delegation and expressed gratitude for their readiness to act. He urged fast-track deployment of Russian technicians to repair grounded military platforms and called for deeper cooperation in special operations, intelligence sharing, and amphibious warfare training.

The CDS also requested that Nigerian officers be trained in Russia, while Russian instructors be invited for in-country training in tactical areas like fast-attack craft operations.

As insurgents and bandits continue to menace communities across Nigeria’s northern region, this new alliance signals a game-changing shift—one that could leave terrorists facing a wall of coordinated, high-grade firepower.