INSECURITY: Arms purchase a major item on Buhari’s Russia agenda — Presidency

Nigeria is set to purchase weapons, including fighter helicopters, from Russia to enhance the ongoing fight against insurgency, banditry and other violent crimes across the country.

This is according to Garba Shehu, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, who made this disclosure while speaking with newsmen in Abuja on Monday.

Shehu, who is on President Muhammadu Buhari’s entourage to Sochi, Russia, said the president would hold security talks with President Vladimir Putin at the sidelines of the Russia-Nigeria Summit, fixed for between Oct. 23 and Oct. 25.

He explained that during the talks, the two leaders would discuss arms and weapon procurement to assist Nigeria towards ending insurgency, particularly the Boko Haram activities in North East region of the country.

“Russia has been doing a lot to support our military, although I’m not suggesting that we have engaged them as fully as we should have.

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“I think that this visit presents a unique opportunity for our two presidents to sit down and discuss particularly weapon procurement including of course helicopters which Russians can supply and would be useful to Nigeria towards ending the insurgency particularly in the northeastern part of the country.

“So, I believe that arms procurement to which the Russians are favourably disposed of will form a big part of this conversation,’’ he explained.

The presidential aide also said that the details of the procurement would be made available in due course.

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