By ZAKAA LAZARUS.
The Representative of the President of the Russian Federation, Lieutenant General Andrei Averianov paid a courtesy visit on the Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Gwabin Musa OFR.
The Head of the Russian delegation in his remarks noted that the visit marked a memorable day in the history of the Russia Federation, while on behalf of his team, thanked the CDS for hosting them and the warm hospitality accorded to them.
According to him, it has been 80 years since Russia fought Nazism. However, the security landscape has evolved, with asymmetric threats such as Al-Qaeda and Boko Haram now emerging. He expressed Russian delight for being part of the fight to create a more secure environment for future generations in Nigeria.
Lt Gen Averianov stated that Russia was engaged in special operations facing 39 adversary nations, during which they had developed new methods they were willing to share with Nigeria to support the fight against terrorism.
On behalf of President Vladimir Putin and the Honourable Minister of Defence of the Russian Federation, he pledged Russia’s support to Nigeria in its fight against terrorism, while recognising Nigeria’s significance as a major stakeholder and power in the region.
He further noted that Russian has been observing and learning from Nigeria’s counterterrorism efforts over the years. He therefore added that as brothers in arms, they were ready to assist, particularly with the provision of the full range of weapons required by the Armed Forces of Nigeria (AFN) to prosecute its war on terror.
In response, the CDS welcomed the delegation on behalf of the Commander in Chief, AFN, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the members of the Nigerian Military.
He observed that both Russia and Nigeria were undergoing challenging times, resulting in the loss of personnel and necessitating the conduct of special operations.
He thanked the delegation for the support from the Russian Federation, noting that Russia and Nigeria had long enjoyed strong ties, highlighting the need for continued partnerships in training and operations.
The CDS further emphasised the importance of exchanging instructors and students between the 2 countries for trainings.
He noted that for the Nigerian Army, Navy and Air Force, there is the need to expand training in Special Operations and provision of requisite equipment, special boats, fast attack craft and amphibious training. Others includes the need for assistance in the maintenance of Russian platforms and the provision of aid surveillance respectively.
The CDS stressed that Nigeria had several Russian-made platforms that were currently unserviceable and requested support through the provision of spare parts and the deployment of Russian experts for in-country maintenance or arrangements for backloading such equipment to Russia for repairs.
General Musa appealed for enhanced intelligence sharing from Russia to Nigeria, noting that the Russians had gained valuable experience and capacity from their extended operations, particularly in the Sahel region.
He finally thanked the delegation for their gesture for personally delivering equipment and providing a team of experts to assist in their testing, adding that the Russian Federation had fulfilled its commitment to Nigeria as promised.
